Our daily bread

Someone mentioned that lockdown and quarantine are like a Netflix or Korean drama series: Just when you think it’s over, they release the next season.

In today’s gospel (John 6, 41-51), the Jews murmured against Jesus because just when they thought that His message was too much already, He released His Bread of Life discourse, telling them that He is the Bread of life, and that whoever eats His flesh will have eternal life. For the Jews, this was masyadong too much! Sobrang over already!

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Jesus was at the peak of His popularity, but He “blew it” when he started talking of Himself as the Living Bread from heaven. From that time on, many of His followers started to question Him, and even abandoned Him. But He persisted, anyway. Why? Because He had to tell the truth. He had to please His father, not the crowd. Let us not be crowd pleasers. Let us be obedient sons and daughters of our loving Father.

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The truth is bigger than us. We cannot, we should not, manipulate, manage, bend, twist, and definitely, delete the truth. The truth may inconvenience us, and make us miserable, but, as it has often been said, it sets us free.

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When I was a seminarian, Papa encouraged me to write a book someday. He even suggested a title: “Gems Along the Way.” I have written many books since then, entitled “Moments.” But upon reflection, what I have been sharing all these years were gems that I found along the way, like nourishing bread, in my journey to God’s heart.

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I would like to share with you a gem which I discovered recently. I call it 6-12-6. To have a nice day, simply choose and decide to be happy, to be prayerful, and to be kind from 6 a.m. to noon. So, that means intermittent fasting from negativities until noon. After noon, you can choose to be negative or even to be a monster if you want to, OR to decide to continue fasting from negativities until 6 p.m. So be happy, be prayerful, and be kind from 6 a.m. until noon, until 6 p.m.! And beyond, as you so choose.

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Have a nice day! This is doable if we live half day at a time. Breaking down the day helps us to become more aware of God’s presence, and our choice to make each day meaningful and fruitful. Try it. “Half a nice day!”

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Please remember to live fully in the present moment. Leave the past in God’s heart. Stop rewinding. Leave the future in God’s hands. Stop worrying. And live the present in God’s love. Then, the saying, “Live one day at a time” becomes a reality. “Enough for the day are the troubles thereof.” Have a nice day! This becomes doable if you know how to “half a nice day!”

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ECQ once again. Go beyond the dreaded restrictions of quarantine. Instead of enhanced community quarantine, let’s see ECQ as a time to Encounter Christ Quietly, and Enhance Charity Quickly to others in these difficult times.

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Next Sunday is Aug. 15, Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In this valley of tears and fears, let us be inspired and be emboldened with hope that like her, we are called to rise above our present day sufferings and struggles.

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Interesting to note four Olympic champions who have strong Marian devotions, namely: Simone Biles and Grace McCallum; Katie Ledecky; and our very own, Hidilyn Diaz. Thank you, Mama Mary, our powerful intercessor!

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One with you in our hope that soon, we can say “Go in peace, the mask is ended!” In the meantime, BTS! (Believe, Trust, Surrender)

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A moment with the Lord:Lord, give us bread that truly nourishes us daily. Amen.

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