The Joseph’s Equation

We can only take a look at the story of Saint Joseph if we are to find the equation in fulfilling our desires. His was a simple one. He listened and obeyed.

Joseph’s Equation: Discerning Heart + Obedience = Fulfillment of Heart Desires

He listened to the voice of the angel, pondered willfully on it and because his heart was united with God he was able to see beyond his humanity the beauty of the message. He did not stop there; he obeyed and took Mary home as his wife. The result was the fulfillment of his desire and that is to be with Mary, the love of his life. In fact he was given a bonus far beyond imagination, Christ himself becoming his own.

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Mission Is Home

Missionaries are everywhere. They move from one place to another and it makes us wonder how they adjust being move all the time and not being home. Home is home so they say and it’s true but being on mission also brings us to another reality, the reality of bigger family of Christ that anywhere we will be as long as we are in this family, we are home. Mission becomes home when you are welcomed in a Christian family and even if not, mission is still home because we are with Christ. In the end, what makes mission home is Christ himself.  

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Agere Contra

I just learned something new from a brother (father soon) and Jesuit friend. I was sharing to him about my own personal challenges and then he told me that his favorite phrase now is “Agere Contra”. He said, “It is doing things that you don’t like because you know it is for Gods mission.” He added, “Sometimes one’s desires becomes attachment already. That is why mission becomes a commitment and not just doing it because it feels good.”

It is really easy to say and do things when everything is going right, but commitment is tested when things are going terribly wrong and we still do what needs to be said and done.

Lord, grant us the grace of peace and perseverance when we need to say and do things “agree contra”. Amen.

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The Squeeze

Sometimes we feel so squeezed up that we can hardly breathe. We are squeezed with life’s problems and challenges and we don’t know what to do and who to turn to. It seems like the road is going nowhere. God squeezes us up so nothing is left but Him and then when we have Him, He lavishes us with everything. “In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

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