Better Than Self-talk

   

Ash Wednesday

05 March 2025

 

First Reading: Joel 2:12-18

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17

Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20-6;2

Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

 

Reflection

By: Anabelle P. Balla

 

I struggle with overthinking and intense emotions in some  days. I have tried several methods to regain my equilibrium and find peace amidst the chaos.

I tried writing down my thoughts to unload the burdens in my head, giving me a clearer perspective on my worries and anxieties. This helped me organize my thoughts and reduce my stress levels. Whenever I feel overwhelmed with emotions, I take a pause, breathe, and try to write down or process how I feel and why. This somehow brings me a sense of relief and clarity.

I do self-talk as well. I use self-talk for various reasons, such as comforting myself in a calm and reassuring manner or brainstorming solutions to problems, or when confronting myself for perceived mistakes that I did.

However, I found an even more profound way to deal with life's emotional landscape which is my daily and frequent informal conversations with God. These conversations are normally spontaneous where I reach out to Him whenever and however I can.

When I am happy, I give thanks to Him, no matter where I am or what I am doing. When I am confused, worried, or sad, I would reach out to Him, lift things up and ask for help. When I need ideas, I ask for an inspiration. When I struggle with vanity, self-centeredness, and addictions in worldly things, I turn to Him for help to grant me better control of myself, of my worldly desires. I would bring up to Him even the smallest things. When I see His beautiful creation, even the tiniest grass, leaves or flowers, I can't help but give thanks. And I don't need to kneel and be formal in doing all these. I feel like He is with me all the time, so close and can hear everything that I say, even in silence. It has become an automatic impulse to turn to Him, as if He is part of me. And I am glad of this realization for I cannot imagine navigating life without His guidance, blessings, and protection.

So yes, prayer or frequent conversation with God has helped me better. I am given better perspectives inspired by the Holy Spirit when I reach out to Him. He calms my heart, gives peace of mind, and comforts my soul, drawing me closer to Him. He is my compassionate, loving, and merciful Listener Who is Most Powerful and makes things happen for me.

Talking to Him benefits my entire being, and I am grateful for His favor despite my unworthiness. I believe He also favors everyone. We just need to reach out to Him and humbly seek His forgiveness and blessings. And today, Ash Wednesday, is a good day to start.

I love the Lord; He is filled with compassion.

Prayer

Father, thank You for listening to my mumblings every now and then. Forgive me if I get distracted while talking to You. Help me spend quality time of worship to You, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Beautiful in White

    

Second Sunday of Lent

05 March 2023

 

First Reading: Gn 12:1-4a

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22

Second Reading: 2 Tm 1:8b-10

Gospel: Mt 17:1-9

 

Reflection

By: Ma. Rosalina S. Flores

 

Today's Gospel narrates the Transfiguration of Jesus, the moment up a high mountain when His face shone like the sun and His clothes became white as light, as witnessed by Peter, James, John and his brother. His disciples also saw Moses and Elijah conversing with Jesus. They even heard a voice came from the cloud that said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him."

At the end of the Transfiguration event, Jesus charged His disciples to "Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

In line with the transfiguration, my father always tells me that I am God's daughter and I am robed in white garment. He then challenges me to keep my garment white until death by loving God and my neighbors in preparation for eternal life.

But isn't it difficult to make your spiritual garment white all the time, same with washing your white clothes? Sometimes, we need to try different detergents to find the perfect one that will make our clothes as white as new.

Good thing, Jesus has already given us the secrets to transfiguration: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, the three pillars of Lent.

In fact, immediately, after descending the mountain, Jesus has mentioned about prayer and fasting in His next encounter where at the multitude, He healed a demon-possessed boy. 'Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, "Why were we unable to cast him out?" Jesus said to them: "Because of your unbelief...But this kind is not cast out, except through prayer and fasting."' Following that, Jesus also taught almsgiving as He instructed Peter to pay the temple tax. "But so that we may not become an obstacle to them: go to the sea, and cast in a hook, and take the first fish that is brought up, and when you have opened its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take it and give it to them, for me and for you."

We are now on the Second Sunday of Lent, exactly 28 days before the Holy Week, may we spend well the remaining days of preparation for the much-anticipated Easter, the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Jesus, help us to prepare not only our garments but also our hearts in our journey to Holy Week and to eternal life. Help us to become prayerful, generous, and deny ourselves for a much better purpose. All these we ask in Your Mighty Name, Amen.

Bawal ang Nakasimangot

Ash Wednesday 26 February 2020
First reading Joel 2:12-18

“Now, now,” says the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.”

Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil. Who knows whether he will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, a cereal offering and a drink offering for the Lord, your God?

Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants.

Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, “Spare your people, O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, `Where is their God?'” Then the Lord became jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.

Second reading                                                         2 Corinthians 5:20 — 6:2

We are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, “At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.” See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!

Gospel                                                                         Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Reflection

By Pietro S. Albano

It seems to me that the humorous warning Bawal ang nakasimangot (No frowning allowed) posted in some public places in the Philippines originated from God. In Genesis (4:5-8), God asked Cain why he scowled when Abel's offering were accepted by God instead of Cain's. In today's Gospel, Jesus criticized the hypocrites for disfiguring their faces to make it obvious that they were fasting.

Lent is upon us once again! Indeed, the practices of prayer, almsgiving, and fasting come into the fore. And as the weeks go by, our Lenten observance becomes more intense and reaches its climax in Holy Week.

Jesus doesn't see any problem with these practices. What displeased Him was the hypocrites using these practices to advance their own agenda, as though ticking a checklist of things to do. They practiced these noble works out of obligation, nothing more, nothing less. And because "It's just obligation", I would imagine them feeling napipilitan (forced) to do these. With this kind of feeling, comes unhappiness. And what better way of showing unhappiness? Sumimangot (frown)!

Jesus' warning to His followers is still relevant to our times. There is a danger that our Lenten practices would turn us into hypocrites, that we behave "holier than thou". Let's ask for the grace to understand why we are doing these practices and to weed out the wrong from the right reasons. Doing so, we will be filled with happiness. And if we are happy in our prayer life, in reaching out to the poor, and in doing sacrifices such as fasting and abstinence, that just means one thing: we love God.

Prayer

Merciful Father, cleanse our hearts from pride and hypocrisy so that we may observe this holy season with a smile in our faces and love in our hearts. In Jesus' Name.  Amen. 

Wrong Channel

Ash Wednesday 06 March 2019
First reading Joel 2:12-18

“Now, now,” says the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.”

Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil. Who knows whether he will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, a cereal offering and a drink offering for the Lord, your God?

Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants.

Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, “Spare your people, O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, `Where is their God?'” Then the Lord became jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.

Second reading                                                         2 Corinthians 5:20 — 6:2

We are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, “At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.” See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!

Gospel                                                                         Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Reflection

By Bernard M. Borja

A young man has hurt his girlfriend because of infidelity. Willing to change his ways and ask for forgiveness, he decided to create posts in social media about how he really loves her girlfriend. He was apologizing and begging for her girlfriend to forgive him. He also took videos of himself, singing and playing a guitar, reciting poems while kneeling, creating vlogs, and posts it publicly. His posts became viral because of his sweet words and were liked by many. He did this for weeks. After some time, his posts become more about hopelessness. She is not responding to any of his posts. A few weeks after, they saw each other in a gathering with some other friends. The young man went closer to her, asked her if she has already forgiven her. The young woman looked at him and said, “Why? I never received an apology from you.” The young man explained and even tried to show to her his posts in social media. Then she took her phone out, opened her messaging accounts, and showed to the young man that there was never a single message she received from him. Not even in her email. 

We do not go through life unrewarded. In fact, God gives us graces we need every single day. Even the grace of mercy and forgiveness especially in our sinful nature. But how do we really respond to that forgiveness? Sometimes, we do our penance for our sins addressed not to the one whom we offended. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us on how we can use the “correct channel” when praying and offering ourselves to God. Sometimes, people choose to receive the praises and positive feedback of other people. We choose to receive an immediate and visible reward which is to lift our self-image so that people may look at us as good. We forget the real reward that God wants to give to us: the true forgiveness that only He can give. But this can only be received when we let God the only one who will see our offerings - be it prayer, fasting, or almsgiving. 

As the season of Lent begins, may we be reminded on how Jesus continues to offer Himself for the forgiveness of our sins. May we respond in the right way of doing penance and receive His graces not by making other people see our ways, but by hidden ways that only God can see.

Prayer

Dear Jesus, as we remember Your journey of fulfilling God’s promises, let us walk with You as we make this season holy by denying ourselves and do our offerings in hidden ways that only You can see. We thank You for we are able to walk with You as risen Christians, and we are able to celebrate Your victory because of Your mercy and compassion. With our dearest Mother Mary, like her sorrows which has transformed into joy and glory, may we accompany one another and share the loving embrace of peace that You continue to bless us. Amen. 

Start Inward

"By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” 

First Reading: Joel 12:12-18

Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment. Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing, Offerings and libations for the LORD, your God. Blow the trumpet in Zion! proclaim a fast, call an assembly; Gather the people, notify the congregation; Assemble the elders, gather the children and the infants at the breast; Let the bridegroom quit his room, and the bride her chamber. Between the porch and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep, And say, "Spare, O LORD, your people, and make not your heritage a reproach, with the nations ruling over them! Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'" Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land and took pity on his people.

Resp. Psalm: Psalms 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17

Second Reading: Cor. 5:20--6:2

So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says: "In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you." Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

"(But) take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you."When you fast,  do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.

 Reflection:
By Benj. Santiago

“Now therefore, the Lord says: “”Be converted to me with your whole heart, in fasting and weeping and mourning.””  And rend your hearts, and not your garments, and convert to the Lord your God. For He is gracious and merciful, patient and full of compassion, and steadfast despite ill will.” Joel2:12-13

“But as for you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that your fasting will not be apparent to men, but to your Father, who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will repay you.” Matthew 6:17-18

Ash Wednesday ushers in the 40 days of Lent. And there is no fitting way to observe this but to fast and do acts of mercy. Most of the churches get packed up with people lining up to be marked with ashes on their forehead.  An outward sign of repentance which we inherited and adapted from the Jewish practice. The Jews pour ashes on their heads as a sign of repentance.  Another Jewish practice is to rend or tear apart their clothes to show their mourning, another outward show.

I have met a couple who are multi-millionaires, who do their all-out giving support to priests, parishes, and institution for the elderly, in secret. They happily do it and I am sure the Lord is also very happy with them that they are continuously blessed and their business keeps growing and is able to provide employment to a lot of people.

Sure, there is nothing wrong with the rituals and traditions. We continue to do it as a constant outward reminder. But the Lord wants to teach us to be inward, more of the change of heart rather than what is apparent to the eyes of other people. Jesus wants us to start our conversion from within. And more importantly, He wants us to know that His Father is so merciful, so patient, so full of compassion, and so steadfast in spite of our iniquities and ill wills.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we praise You and we thank You for being gracious, merciful, patient and full of compassion to us who are sinful and pretentious even in our fasting and repentance. We ask You to continue to teach, transform, convert our whole heart in fasting, in giving alms, and in our confessions! Thank You Lord Jesus for Your undying mercy. Thank You!

 Action

Start this day with a fast and give alms in secret.

Repentance and Forgiveness

Ash Wednesday
17 February 2010


Come, today, and listen to his voice: do not harden your hearts.

First reading Joel 2:12-18
‘Now, now – it is the Lord who speaks –
come back to me with all your heart,
fasting, weeping, mourning.’
Let your hearts be broken, not your garments torn,
turn to the Lord your God again,
for he is all tenderness and compassion,
slow to anger, rich in graciousness,
and ready to relent.
Who knows if he will not turn again, will not relent,
will not leave a blessing as he passes,
oblation and libation
for the Lord your God?
Sound the trumpet in Zion!
Order a fast,
proclaim a solemn assembly,
call the people together,
summon the community,
assemble the elders,
gather the children,
even the infants at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his bedroom
and the bride her alcove.
Between vestibule and altar let the priests,
the ministers of the Lord, lament.
Let them say,
‘Spare your people, the Lord!
Do not make your heritage a thing of shame,
a byword for the nations.
Why should it be said among the nations,
“Where is their God?”’
Then the Lord, jealous on behalf of his land,
took pity on his people.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 50:3-6,12-14,17

Second reading 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2
We are ambassadors for Christ; it is as though God were appealing through us, and the appeal that we make in Christ’s name is: be reconciled to God. For our sake God made the sinless one into sin, so that in him we might become the goodness of God. As his fellow workers, we beg you once again not to neglect the grace of God that you have received. For he says: At the favourable time, I have listened to you; on the day of salvation I came to your help. Well, now is the favourable time; this is the day of salvation.

Gospel Matthew 6:1-6,16-18
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘Be careful not to parade your good deeds before men to attract their notice; by doing this you will lose all reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win men’s admiration. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.
‘And when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites: they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them; I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you pray, go to your private room and, when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.
‘When you fast do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they pull long faces to let men know they are fasting. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting except your Father who sees all that is done in secret; and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.’

Reflection
By Benj Santiago

Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of Lent, continually reminds me of the undying love and mercy of our Lord God! It is a call to repentance, sincere prayers, fasting, sacrifice, abstinence, and forgiveness.

It is exhilarating to have community praise and worship. My spirit is lifted up and it feels great. Private prayers in the quiet of my room are also equally rewarding. I feel His forgiving hands touch my soul. Many blessings in my life and in the life of other people I prayed for in private had been granted. And how do we pray? “But when you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6)

As to repentance and forgiveness of my sins, I know that even before I ask for forgiveness He has already forgiven me. “But even now, says the Lord, repent sincerely and return to me with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Let your broken heart show your sorrow: tearing your clothes is not enough. Come back to the Lord Your God. He is kind and full of mercy; He is patient and keeps His promise. He is always ready to forgive and not punish.” (Joel 2:12-13). We only have to remember this , “Sincerity and truth are what You require; fill my mind with Your wisdom.” (Psalm 51:6)

What is the best sacrifice we can offer? “My sacrifice is a humble spirit, O God. You will not reject a humble and repentant heart. “ (Psalm 51:17)

And finally, what is our reward? Hear what God says: ”When time came for me to show you favor, I heard you, I helped you.” Listen! This is the hour to receive God’s favor; today is the day to be saved!” (2 Corinthians 6:2)


Lord God, thank You for giving us the wisdom to pray with sincerity and truth. We are truly repentant sinners and we believe in Your mercy and kindness. You are our loving Father who is always ready to forgive. Who is always there to provide for what we need and save us from evil. Continue to bless us with courage and strength that we may do the same to our fellowmen. Amen.

Next week on God-speak
Guilty