ARE YOU SAVED?

ARE YOU SAVED?







“. . . believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your family will be saved.” – Acts 16:31






“Are you saved?” Ate Susan asked the leaders gathered in one of our trips to Cagayan de Oro. Her question lingered on my mind. My weaknesses and wrongdoings flashed back, including those I’m still guilty of despite my best attempts to follow Jesus.


As I looked back at my past life, it was clear how I depended so much on my own ability and knowledge to do what I wanted. Until I got incarcerated.


At the Correctional Institution for Women, I became very prayerful and active in spiritual and other activities which primarily paved the way to a deeper relationship with the Lord. I learned to acknowledge Him as the source of everything — that without Him, my physical imprisonment would be traumatic and difficult to overcome.


I offered my pains and sufferings for my family, particularly the stigma of being an “ex-con,” and claimed His promise that for the one who believes, his whole household will be saved.


Today, I am overwhelmed by God’s love and provision. My household and I are bountifully blessed and are now renewed and in the service of God.Beth Corral (bethcorral_0330@yahoo. com)






REFLECTION:


Never doubt that you are saved. It’s not our good works that saved us but Jesus’ saving grace. Let us deepen our personal relationship with Him.






O Lord Jesus, thank You for Your saving grace — that my household and I are saved.










HAVE YOU TAKEN YOUR PILL TODAY?






“The truth hurts.” By experience, we know that this cliché is true. However, we also know by experience that only the truth sets us free. Thus, truth is like a pill that, while it is bitter, it heals us. Lying is a disease. Only truth can restore to health anyone who is inflicted with it. The truth that Jesus had to leave His disciples was a big blow to the men who left everything to follow Him. “Still,” Jesus said, “I must tell you the truth.” Jesus did not hide the truth from them. He had to go. and He spoke in the clearest terms about Himself. Telling them the truth helped them face the issue not only squarely but also properly. Facing issues in life is surely the first step to conquering them and, through them, grow unto maturity.


When the disciples confronted the issue about Jesus’ farewell, they realized that the absence of the physical Jesus to them actually meant the presence of the same Jesus in each of them. From then on, they themselves became an alter Christus, “another Christ.” From then on, they would see Jesus not with their physical eyes but with the eyes of faith. The presence of Jesus in His seeming absence made the His presence more exciting and tremendously meritorious as they would strive to be Jesus to one another and see Jesus in one another as well.


The sadness of Jesus’ going gave way to the joy of His coming. By vanishing from their midst, Jesus became present in their very midst. His own Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the living Principle of His life and power, the very Breath of God, came not only upon but also into the hearts of His disciples. Letting go of Jesus was like the bitter pill the disciples had to take. It was, however, a bitter pill that gave them the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit in their hearts.


In life, truth hurts. It is like a bitter pill. Anyone who refuses to take it can never be healed. But one who takes it is healed and becomes a healer himself.


Have you taken your pill today? Fr. Bobby Titco






Reflection Question:


The truth sets us free. But it will hurt us first.






Jesus, You are the Truth, set me free from all the lies I have created about myself and about others. Hold my hand and make me strong to take the “bitter pill” that I may be healed and free. Amen.






St. Francis Jerome, pray for us.