Reflection:

The words of St Paul reminds me that since was I raised with Christ, through my baptism,
being his brother under our one Father in heaven, that I should be at the same glance as
Jesus did. In my earthly life, I can’t deny the fact that I’m always been surrounded by a lot
temptations and challenges. These things unavoidable such as my wants, technological
cravings, and other worldly allurements are often times becomes my everyday concern to the
point that I found myself pulled away from what I supposed to be attracted and I must always
be surrendering no other than to God. Sometimes, even the holy mass/ Eucharist doesn’t
anymore make any sound though my ears since it has ONLY become a routine such that
going to the Church, attending prayer services or holy Eucharist is only to fulfill my Sunday
obligation yet my mind and heart is pre-occupied with lots of personal and work concerns.
Worst is that attending liturgical celebration has just become a pass time in sense that I put
myself away from the stressful work instead of being there to actively participate, pray and
thank God for all His blessing.

But with all the words of Saint Paul, I am even encouraged and challenged to keep my feet on
the ground yet always at aim for heavenly matters using all my earthly resources, my
knowledge and understanding to even more become nearer to Christ and to the Father. It
teaches me how to carefully and properly use material things, using it for the greater glory of
God, not mine. By doing so, as per Saint Paul, it follows that even, ager, malice, slander,
unpleasant language and all that is my old self which includes all my past wrong activities,
will all be renewed with pleasant things for God. With all these ways, I believe that even
respect to others, good human relationship and equality will be met.

In the Gospel, Jesus spoke of the beatitudes where He gives an assurance of blessing
addressed to the poor and lowly. This is for me a kind of even more a reminder that in my
earthly life, as Christian, we cannot but surrounded by worldly concerns and possessions. But
these are not supposed to be an assurance that I will be saved, that I should not surrender
myself to all these things. Rather, these should only be my aids, my stepping stones to attain
what God has always been offering me, salvation, and the kingdom of God. Thus, for me to
attain eternal life is to make ourselves physically wealthy by being healthy which follows that
we can be able to strongly recognize, worship, and work for the good of the world in the name
of God’s kingdom.