Jan-B's Blog

 Remain faithful. They would not allow their eyes to look to heaven Daniel 13:9. Shouldn't we listen allowing our eyes to look to heaven keeping in mind just judgments. We want God to adjust to us and we dictate how we want things to happen.  Weeping trusting the Lord looking up to heaven wholeheartedly. In life doing things our way seems to be better, but we are called to be faithful. It always pays to look up and trust God. Things may not go the way we expect, but it will always be the best way- His way. What decisions in your life didn't include God and caused you more harm? Never leave God out of the equation. Lord, we surrender everything to You. Guide us in what we think, say, and do.

 Being connected celebrating March 16, 2021 as a once in a lifetime event to commemorate 500 years of Christianity in our country, our ancestors helping strangers with generosity and humanity saving the devastated crew of Magellan providing them nourishment and strength ushering an exchange of cultures, good, and beliefs. Our notable Filipino hospitality both a great relief and answered prayer showing goodwill. Still manifested in bilateral modernization efforts between the Philippines and Spain which must include compassion and dialogue. Humanity and 500 years ago we the Filipino people demonstrated our victory in humanity. Entering the future with a memory of the past together with the understanding that oceans should connect us instead of separate us. In the most unexpected of ways, in the most desperate of occasions, that forces so basic, a gesture so simple indeed most magnanimous in every way which we now ought to recognize as the light that brings life for all of our journey...

 Get up, get over it and get going. 2021 doesn't mean that magic and cure would happen. Now needing to look forward to shaping our future. We need to get up, get over it. This situation needs you to come up with a strategy to plan carefully, manage it relentlessly and persist consistently, renew our mind revising the way we think; something we are now doing not working needs review, repair and revamp dealing with adjustments but getting up moving on. Getting a well-developed meaningful life in order starting to straighten out things in our immediate reach with a diligent search discerning what's happening connecting with reality as things are always changing opportunities opening up knowing what's going on and how to deal with it. If you are green you are growing; if you are ripe you are rotting. Where there is growth there is life. Anything stagnant eventually dies... our needing to expand our knowledge- reading, listening, and non-stop learning of things we apply Fearful ...

 Why not start right now treating the best for yourself by bringing your thoughts to a happy place. Truly grateful to God for all the blessings you still enjoy living positivity with hope and optimism pleasing to God. Smiling and cheerful, controlling how you react to all situations beyond our control. Seeing and trusting God's wisdom in His will and all He allows. Thanking Him believing He is infinitely good. Try going to confession with anyone also ready and pray the Rosary with anyone and see how good you will feel treating the best for yourself when you are ready. Nasa Diyos and awa nasa tao ang gawa. It is a choice - a spiritual choice. Focus on the supernatural not on the worldly and superficial trying to do more of what matters to God so you can do less of what matters to people starting with how we think. Change how you look at things; and the things you look at will change. The power of the mind what you think, you create. Mindful thinking of the Goodness and Love of Jesus...

 Faced with any hardship, still believing what is unseen will last forever. We fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen Corinthians 4:18 because what is unseen is eternal. Learning our faith will grow, and although we suffer, that we too must trust in God. God is unseen but is eternal. Gazing at the clouds knowing he is hidden but there. Hoping the next time I am tempted to believe God is far from me. I will fix my eyes on what is unseen. What does it mean for you to fix your eyes on the unseen? How does our hope in Jesus help us to face the difficulties of our life? Sometimes Lord I feel you are far from me. Help me to believe that you are near, whether I feel your presence or not.

 Pope Francis teaching on fraternal love, a new vision of fraternity and social friendship that will not remain in the level of words. Covid showed the need for people and countries to work together. For those who believe in God....nothing happens by chance. For everything that happens in our life is either allowed or willed by God. Covid making us see each of us should improve in our personal and collective fraternity and friendship. No one nor any group no matter how good or holy is complete. For charity is infinite as it's participation in Christ's charity. On earth charity is a journey...in heaven it's a continuation. Sanctity in the ordinary life is the humble, faithful, heroic fulfillment of duties of our state of life on earth...Each moment of giving glory to God. Holiness doing the very ordinary things extraordinary well for God and neighbor. St. Joseph's silent, simple, prayerful, and just. Hard working friendly life is holiness in ordinary life. Seeing Christ ...

 Encouragement of others busy trying to improve their health. Not judging others but encouraging words and actions supporting others building up each other are always welcomed. Striving to get in shape spiritually growing in our faith mature in our walk with Jesus each one of us should please neighbors for their good, to build them Romans 15:2. Recognizing that our Father is so lovingly gracious with us. Let's show God's grace to others with encouraging words and actions. And, while we daily seek to follow Jesus, may we create an atmosphere of encouragement for our brothers and sisters in Jesus as they also seek to grow in their faith. Help me Lord today to encourage others along the way. Guide me to say what will not discourage but will spur them toward a deeper walk with you in your love. A word of encouragement can make the difference between giving up and pressing on.

 Just a little smile on your lips - Cheers your heart, keeps you in good humor, preserves peace in your soul, promotes health, beautifies your face, induces kindly thoughts, inspires kindly deeds. SMILE TO YOURSELF... until you have warmed your own heart with the sunshine of your cheerie countenance. Then...go out- and radiate your smile. THAT SMILE...has the work to do for GOD. SMILE - on the lonely faces. SMILE on the timid faces. SMILE on the sorrowful faces. SMILE on the sickly faces. SMILE on the fresh young faces. Let all enjoy the beauty and inspiring cheer of your smiling face. YOUR SMILE can be the beginning of the conversion to the Faith. YOUR SMILE can prepare the way for a sinner's return to God. SMILE TOO AT GOD. Smile at God is loving acceptance of whatever He sends into your life, and you will merit to have the radiantly smiling Face of Christ gaze on you with special love for Eternity. 

 Bad things happen to good people. When bad things happen -do you sulk, complain, freeze, get stuck, stay put and do nothing? Or do you have a bias for Action. Winners have a bias for Action - that's why they're Winners. If you limp, crawl and can't walk; Stumble yourself to greatness. Every time bad things happen to you, good things will come out of it. Your trials can release your gifts, dreams and set you free. If your business fails- you're free to start over again and make it better burning your - fears, limited thinking and small dreams. Being a better person free to impact the world even more. Keep moving forward preparing your mind for action with a bias for action.

 Quoting St. Marie Eugene of Jesus "Love never says, I have done enough!" Pope Francis calls for solidarity and charity. We must not close our eyes to injustice and indifference. As we see goodness in some people, we also see indifference in so many including those who thought themselves to be good. Sadly, at times we can also comfortably convince ourselves we have done enough. Instead of looking for someone to blame, why don't we look for something to fix and get busy fixing it. And as we consider our own situation. Remember that Lord Jesus has a way of helping those who help themselves and He doesn't spend much time helping those who don't. Many of our problems are problems cause we refuse to surrender them to Lord Jesus Christ. As we get older we realize not to look for perfection in our friends...but look for affection. 

 The doctrine on the existence of Purgatory is revealed in Holy scripture, has been handed down by Tradition, taught by the infalliable Church and believed by millions. Yet, the ideas of many on Purgatory are vague and superficial of this most important subject. The best means of lessening our term in purgatory or avoiding it altogether is to have clear ideas of it; to think well on it and to adopt means God offers for avoiding it. Not to think of it is fatal. Holy Souls repay their benefactors a thousand times over as their dearest sincerest and best friends with their prayer so intense, so great, so constant as their unbounded gratitude to those who help them unable to help themselves. By an amazing dispensation of God's providence. He places in our hands the means of assisting the souls still in purgatory with the power to relieve and even release them. Nothing pleases God more than when we help them.

 Refusing to give up no matter the odds & that spirit still alive inside us. Those who cry with us during our painful losses and celebrated with us during our victories. Everything we are, everything we achieved only became possible because of the graciousness and blessings of our loving God the Father our Passion is serving others and love for others with prayers in deeds...Remaining foremost in our heart & soul. Living by the adage that one must be humble in victory and gracious in defeat. Failure is temporary. Work harder, dare to fail again but commit to reaching your goal sooner or later, you will make it. Never say die. The key to being competitive is mental toughness you've go to believe you can win. Winner sa Life from wala to wow, from who are you/ to...I want to be you!- it is your identity. I believe in You. 

 My father died in 1992, we heard how we was loved by the many he knew touching the lives of many he helped and inspired, our respecting him more for his kindness as a human being. As Christians we should get to know Father God more so growing in our love and knowledge of Him- learning more about Him- spending time in reading His word, Listening to Him through Prayer, the Mass and the Sacraments experiencing His beauty through Creation getting to Know Him to know the kind of person we should be. help me see You Lord and Your Word more in my life so I can become more like Your Child. 

Let's be generous with the gift of ourselves cause God has gifted us to make a difference and be someone's answered prayer. Generous gift of ourselves til we are empty. Giving of our skills and talents. You are unique. Your ministry is unique. No one besides you can perform this service quite like you our ministry matched by God perfectly to our abilities and spiritual growth. All us Christian members of a church. Not just concerned about the souls of others but the well-being of the whole person- spiritually, physically, socially, and psychologically. Not just concerned with humanity but the well-being of the planet. Trying to get everyone to Heaven, working hard to bring all human life to it's God given potential from the unborn to the elderly. Drown evil with God's inexhaustible warehouse of goodness.

 Teach me Lord to say Amen when I am in Your Presence Amen is connected to an ancient word for pounding in a tent peg. So, when I say Amen. I am just saying Yes! I agree. I'm saying yes, I will stake my life in it. Jesus, every time I receive You at Mass and I respond Amen. Help me remember that that means saying Yes again to my Baptism. Yes with my very Life. I'm saying yes to be your disciple, to following You through death to Life. I'm saying Yes to die to my own desires and living only for what You desire. Saying Yes to living a life of Compassion, Forgiveness and Justice. Saying Yes so strongly, I am staking my Life on it. Jesus, help me understand more fully to what that means in my Life. Amen  

 We too have a responsible role in civil society keeping an eye on good governance. Government can do everything on it's own, our private sector participation raising the bar in corporate social responsibility understanding good governance comes with accountability. An informed citizenry looking into results addressing the needs of the people. An inclusive, transparent and accountable process. Proactive, responsible, and informed as part of effective and sustainable public policies answering government's call as partners in good governance helping our government as our government ought to help us. Civil society is the essence of good governance - responsibility coming both from the government as well as the people it governs.  

 In efforts to do good and help others. Let's not neglect time for prayer. Dealing with many groups even with the pius-of prayers alone and active works alone. Prayer and work must not be separated...for poverty is not just material but also mental, emotional and spiritual. Yet some of the so called good Pharisees were not able to see or refused to see.  Friend, we can't be the same as them. Filipino known as the only Asian Christian nation. A blessing and duty starting from ourselves. St. Joseph like us is so ordinary not a single word was recorded spoken by him. His silence speaks volumes of his Love in Deeds. If Mary is our Mother, St. Joseph is our Father...Our patron of our ordinary life. In our small and big ways we love to do what we can with Christ as our model. Filipinos trying to be models of Truth and Charity in Deeds... TGIF- Thank God I'm Filipino. 

 After a Loss requiring God's deep Love and comfort. The greatest story ever told stokes the fires of creativity. God created all things. We (the human race) fell into sin: Jesus came to Earth and died and rose again to save us from our sins, and now await His return and the restoration of all things. Knowing that He has come before and what lies ahead , How do we now live? if Jesus is restoring His entire creation from the clutches of evil, we must put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light including turning from sin by God's power and choosing to love Him and others well. Specific ways we fight with Jesus against evil depends on what gifts we have and What needs we see. Let's use our imagination to look around us - seeking out the wounded and weeping. Extending God's justice, love and comfort as He guided us. Father, may Your kingdom come, and may it come in me. Live out your role in God's story as He leads you. 

 Learn to Love what you commit to train and practice for success being an expert focused with dedication deciding on what is truly important you want to be good at including in your spiritual life and your supernatural and Faith Goals... doing more of what matters to God so you can do less of what matters to people. Being a committed practicing Catholic, committed to God living spiritual integrity. It is a choice. A spiritual choice to Live your Purpose your Meaning in Life, what defines you and why God created you. I respect you. I do not judge you. doing ordinary things with extraordinary love... to be a Saint in the middle of the world cause Saints go to Heavens and Heaven - nothing else Matters!

 Fr. Soc on blindly following Holy Week traditions. Holy Week is about what Christ has done for humanity. Let the memory of God's mercy sink in without any compulsion to do something. Just relish His Mercy and bask in the radiance of His Love. Holy Week is to tell God thank You. Holy Week is not what we do to make these days holy. It is about what Catholics must do. Nor is Holy Week about religious traditions and practices done to 'feel good' after. Fasting is good but without malasakit (concern for others) it is nothing. Prayer is good but without laying aside personal comfort it is nothing. Visit 7 churches? Maybe better, give food to feed 7 hungry people. 

Push- Pray until something happens- don't stop cause something good will surely happen (mmmsy- May magandang mangyayari sa'yo) our prayers aren't answered as we expect so where's the good that happened there? Where's the (mmmsy). Be reminded what prayer truly does. Prayer doesn't change God. It changes us. God knows what's best. You may not always understand or accept His best but what that prayer does is you. You are the one that happens. While you pray for what you want, you eventually surrender to Faith what God has for you. And you learn to trust Mayroong magandang mangyayari sa'yo. Thank God for your unanswered prayers, trust God and keep on praying. Help me Lord to never stop praying cause it's Your best way to change me and prepare me for the best.