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IN
THIS ISSUE:
Cover Page
by Bro. Pete Lapid
The Father Speaks
By Fr. KJ
Veeger, MSC
Place of Refuge
By Philip Yuson
Genesis Happenings
By Sansu Garin
Our
Faith
By Fr.
Andres Calleja, SDB
Surabaya Corner
By Ramon Martillano
By
Armand Sol
Saint for the Month
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- Catholic
Links
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 - PROFILE
OF THE
- GENESIS
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
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PLACE
OF REFUGE
 GLORIFY
THE FATHER- By
Philip Yuson
- Just
as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the
Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in
Him may have eternal life.
John 3:14-15
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- In
the Old Te
 stament, when the Israelites were wandering in the
desert, they complained against God and because of their
complaint, God sent serpents to punish them. When the people
repented and Moses interceded for them, God told Moses to
make a brazen serpent and mount it on a pole. Anyone who was
bitten by a serpent and looked at the bronze serpent was
healed.
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- The
word translated to 'lifted' actually means to lift up for
all to see. When Moses raised the serpent on the pole, he
was displaying it so that everyone can see it. So if the
serpent was meant to be seen, then the Son of Man is meant
to be seen. What this verse means therefore is that we have
to exalt Jesus - let Jesus be seen by everyone.
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- I
believe that this is the main reason that the Father sent
Jesus. He sent Jesus so that all creation may glorify Jesus.
And when Jesus is glorified, the Father is also glorified.
And when the Father is glorified, then creation fulfills the
will of the Father.
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- The
original plan of the Father was for all creation to glorify
the Son. But because of the sin of Adam and Eve, creation
rebelled against God and the plan was postponed. But God's
plan is always done. And when the time comes, all creation
shall submit to the Father.
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- The
Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil (1
John 3:8). The main work of the devil is death. And if Jesus
destroys death, He will have conquered the enemy. The only
way to conquer death is not by running away or avoiding
death - but to confront it and win over it. This is done
only through the resurrection of Jesus. But the only way to
rise from the dead is to die. The only way to die is to
become human. The only way to become human is to be born of
a woman. The only way to be born of a woman is to be
conceived in a woman. And God did this by the power of his
Spirit with the cooperation of a young virgin called Mary.
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- Therefore
the Father's purpose for sending Jesus was for all creation
to glorify Jesus. However, did Jesus do all these things
while looking forward to the glory that will be given Him? I
personally think that the main reason He did all these was
because of His love for the Father. For Jesus, He knew that
doing the will of the Father is fulfilling His plan. The
life of Jesus was centered on doing the will of the Father.
He did not care of the glory reserved for Him. All He cared
about is fulfilling what the Father wanted Him to do. The
reason why He did all these is because of His perfect love
for the Father. It is love that allows Jesus to remain
focused on glorifying the Father.
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- In
our daily struggle against difficulties and persecutions,
let us remember the purpose for which we were created - to
give glory to the Father through Jesus. The only way to
achieve this is to have an intense love for Jesus. We cannot
keep our focus if there is no love for the Lord. It is only
with love for the Lord that we respond to difficulties and
persecutions with grace and poise by the power of the
Spirit. When we respond with grace and poise, God's light
ALWAYS shines through us and only then will the Father be
glorified through Jesus.
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- Author's
Note: I am in the process of moving my website (the
current provider has ads that are very sometimes 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.
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