|
|
IN
THIS ISSUE:
Cover
Page
by Bro.
Pete Lapid
The
Father Speaks
By Fr.
Binzler, SJ
Our
Faith
By Fr.
KJ Veeger, MSC
Place
of Refuge
By
Philip Yuson
Surabaya
Corner
By
Ramon Martillano
Sharing
By
Pinky Torres
Here's
the Latest
By
Tintin Magbitang
Sharing
By
Jovie Joaquin
God
Answers Prayers
By
Beth Manibog
Saint
for the Month
|
-
- Catholic
Links
|
|
 - PROFILE
OF THE
- GENESIS
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
|
|
- PLACE
OF REFUGE
-
   -
- Go
into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation
- Mark 16:15
-
- According
to Mark, this was the last instruction of Jesus to His disciples
before He ascended to heaven. There are actually two instructions
here: 1) Go into all the world and, 2) preach the Gospel.
As
disciples of Jesus, we are not expected to sit at home and relax.
Jesus told us to go to all the world. We have to leave the comfort
of our homes and be brave enough to conquer the challenges we will
meet.
What gives us this courage and zeal is our knowledge of the Gospel.
A few months ago, I was reading an introduction to the New
Testament. The book said that in the original Greek, the word
translated to Gospel or good news is also used regarding news about
a victory in battle. When I read that, I realized that indeed, the
news about Jesus is not only something good - it is triumphant news
that excites and gives hope.
This
could be the reason why Paul always refers to living our faith in
military terms. Indeed, the triumphant news of our Lord Jesus Christ
is reason to give hope.
-
- When
we preach the Good News, Jesus tells us to expect difficulties. We
will be the targets of intrigues. People who do not accept our stand
will slander us and insult us. But we persevere because we know that
our Lord is an awesome God - who has won over death. Nothing is more
powerful than our God who loves us.
We
have to remember that Jesus has died for us and that He has risen
from the dead. His death and resurrection is a sign of God's power
and victory. So if we obey Jesus and go out to the world to preach
the gospel, we are sure that Jesus is with us.
And when Jesus is with us, we will never fail. Victory is ours if we
persevere and do things according to His commands. This is the
reason why miracles were very common those days - because the
disciples went out and preached the Gospel.
When we preach, we do not preach about doctrines. We preach about
Jesus Christ - His life, death, resurrection, ascension and His
coming again in glory. As preachers, we are ambassadors of Jesus. We
talk of the victory He won for us. We talk of the hope and power we
have in Him. We bring Jesus to others so that they too will know Him
and have a personal relationship with Him.
Victory
in our lives happens only if we know Jesus.
Indeed,
even today, we see miracles happen if people preach the Gospel of
the Lord. We see the sick being healed. We see people with addiction
problems being delivered from their slavery. We see marriages being
restored and children turning back to God.
Why
are these happening? Because people have come to know the triumphant
news of who Jesus is and what He did to us and what He can do for
us.
As
we approach the end of the Easter season, let us pray that the glory
of the resurrection continue to dwell in us all the days of our
lives - so that we can have the courage to go out and preach the
triumphant news of our Lord Jesus Christ.
-
- _____________________________________________
- Author's
Note: I am in the
process of moving my website (the current provider has
advertisements that are sometimes very contrary to the message of
the Gospel). I will also redesign the new website to include sermons
and seminar talks that the Lord has allowed me to give. Please watch
for it and I will inform you when it is finished. God bless.
-
- (Place
of Refuge writings are available online at http://pyuson.tripod.com)
|
