The Words of God are strong and powerful!

Today, we are celebrating the National Bible Week.

I would like to ask you, brothers and sisters, who among you HAVE a bible in your house? Who among you HAVE READ the bible in your house? “Naloko na!” Let us reflect.

One time, I went to a friend’s house. It was a beautiful house and they also had this beautiful bible on their shelf. I tried to open it and, as I began scanning the pages, my friend tried to stop me saying “Father, huwag mong hawakan, masisira ho iyan.” I was really surprised. So, in other words, ni ayaw niyang pahawakan ang Salita ng Diyos. Baka madumihan. 

In the first reading, the Israelites, in fear of hearing again the voice of God, begged the Lord not to speak to them directly. The reason? They were afraid to die. And how was this so?

In one of my masses, I asked a churchgoer, “What do you think will happen to you when you hear God speaking to you directly?” Full of excitement she said, “Ah, Father, I would be very glad.” Brothers and sisters, if God speaks to you and you hear His words right directly in your ears, one of my professors in UST said, you will EXPLODE! That is how strong and powerful the word of God is.

The Israelites requested Moses to ask God not to speak to them directly. They pleaded for it because every time God speaks to them, the ground shakes as if the earth trembles. And their request was granted. God raised prophets in their midst and put His words into their mouth. If you remember, as I told you before, Moses, when he came down from Mount Sinai after he had spoken with the Lord, was seen with his face radiantly shining. His whole being was shining white. Why? Because God’s word was so powerful.

Look closely at the gospel, brothers, and sisters. The message is beautiful.

There was a man with an evil spirit who entered a synagogue. A synagogue is actually a chapel. The man recognized Jesus and said, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are; you are the Holy One of God.”  But Jesus said, “Be silent, and come out of this man.” And without even raising his hand, the evil spirit left the man. Without even raising his hand!

While the Lord was traveling with his apostles in the hilly region near a cemetery, a man who lived in the burial caves came to him. This man also had an evil spirit living inside him. He had been consistently and violently shaken by the unclean spirits. Brothers and sisters, take note. While Jesus was still far away, merely recognizing his shadows, the man shouted loudly, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you in God’s name not to punish me!”  The spirits inside the man begged Jesus not to send them out of that area saying, “Send us to the pigs. Let us go into them.”  Do you remember that? I also told you that before. And Jesus allowed the unclean spirits to do this and commanded them, “You evil spirit, come out of this man.” And the evil spirits left the man and went into the pigs. Then the herd of pigs ran down the hill and into the lake. (MARK 5:1-11)  See how powerful the Lord is? Aren’t you magnified by the power of his words?

That is why, dear brothers and sisters, before you speak or utter harmful words, think about it again, and think twice, amen? Before you swear, pause a while and think again. There are husbands or wives who say, “Mula ngayon… etc…” as if threatening one another. Don’t proclaim words like that. Do not curse. The word has power in it, for “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (JOHN 1:1)

Do you remember? God created all things, not by His hands. He created all things, by the power of His words. He said, “Let there be light!” And there was light. Then he separated the light from the darkness. “Let there be sea!” And there was sea. “Let there be birds!” And there were birds. And the animals, and the small crawling things and so on… (GENESIS 1) Only in one creature did God use His hands to give life – and it was in man. He did not say, “Let there be man!” No! He has prepared everything for man. Then He took dust from the ground, formed it with His hands and made his most beautiful creation, MAN. Brothers and sisters, God created man not merely by the power of His words but also by the power of His hands. God loved man so much that  He created him in his image and likeness. God has embraced humanity because of this love and paid for his sins in full.

Before, God has commanded man to love God as he loves himself. Then again, to love God as he loves his neighbor. Now it is entirely different. To love God as God has loved you. A one-way love. Do you know what is one true love? It is the kind of love only God can extend, the kind of love that is selfless. It is loving someone amidst realization that you will not be loved in return.

My dear people of God, if you have boyfriends or girlfriends and you love them but they do not feel the same way you do for them, two to three years from now, I tell you, you will give up! But with God, it is different. His love does not change. It is unchangeable and enduring, even if you do not love Him in return. That is perfect love… perfect love, mga kapatid. Yun ho yung pag–ibig na perpekto na hindi susuko at hindi nakadepende ang pagmamahal doon sa kanyang minamahal.

I love you because you are beautiful. I love you because you are handsome. I love you because you are kind…

The love of God, however, differs… I love you whoever you are… I love you even if you don’t love me… I love you even if you mock me… I love you even if you turn your back on me…

Raise the hands of those who are married. O, nabiyudo na naman kayo lahat.  (Laughs)  Married couples, LOVE your partners, EVEN IF they don’t love you!

I visited the jail one time to give a confession. I won’t tell you her identity.  She has stolen a large amount of money and has to be jailed. I asked her, the prisoner, what caused her to steal.

The lady answered sadly, “Nobody cared for me. I felt unloved by people who should have loved me.” The solution of God to all the troubles in life is LOVE… and CARE…

My dear brothers and sisters, my last point is this – discover God, know Him deeper, because it is very hard to love someone you do not know. St. Jerome of Jerusalem said, “Ignorancia scriptura, ignorancia cristi,” What does this mean? “ Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.”

Open your bibles! You know, those who are in the renewal, the charismatic people, those in El Shaddai or cursillistas, they spend fifteen minutes a day reading the word of God. So spend even just fifteen minutes reading the gospel.

The word of God is open-ended. It does not change in time. Nothing is new in it. The bible of yesterday is the bible of today. The bible used during the Spanish time and the Japanese time is still the same bible used today in homilies. In every time, there is a message from God.

So, at the very start of the day, ask the Lord, “Lord, what do you want me to do?”

Read the bible and your thoughts will be guided. But in reading, don’t do something like this one, “Lord, what do you want me to do today?” He closed his eyes and opened the bible pointing on the readings… “and Judas hanged himself…” (Laughs) No, please don’t do that. Don’t pinpoint. That’s not the way it should be.

Read the bible every morning. Reflect. And you will be refreshed and get directed.

Let us bow down our heads…