Faith Alive Outreach

Monday June 1, 2026. 9th Week in the Ordinary Time of the Year 2

🙌🏻Great & awesome God, thanks for the New Month!

🌹Memorial of St. Justin, Martyr

Red: ⛪⛓️⚔️🪓📤👑

📖1st Reading: 2Pt. 1:2-7

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 91 🎺🎻🎷🎶 🎼 (R.v. 2) My God, in you I trust.

Alleluia! Alleluai!!
Apoc. 1:5

Jesus Christ is the faithful witness, the First-born from the dead, the Ruler of the Kings of the earth. Alleluia!!!

📖Gospel Reading: Mk. 12:1-12

Theme: *Accountability matters a lot!*

🎤Reflection:

➕Jesus Spoke to the Pharisees the parable of a vineyard owner & his wicked tenants who at vintage time sent 3 sets of his servants to bring in the harvest. The 1st they seized & thrashed, the 2nd they beat about & treated shamefully. The 3rd he thought they would respect being his only son, but they killed him. He asked them about the feeling of the owner. They answered that he would bring the wretch to a wretched end, & give the vineyard to others. Jesus made them know that it was the stone rejected by the builders that has turned into a key stone. When they realized He was talking to them, they would have arrested Him but they were afraid of the people. So they left Him alone.

➕One of the highest qualities of a good steward is accountability. Once cultivated, the steward excels. Jesus remarked & recommended it highly in this parable!

➕Beloved faithfuls, in whatever that is entrusted to us we must always be ready as trustworthy stewards to give an account of it. Our life, talents, families, responsibilities, etc., have all been entrusted to us as caretakers. Whoever that owns them deserves such an account from us. According to Dave Ramsey; an American Radio personality: "without accountability, there is no trust, & without trust, there is no leadership."

➕We must, therefore, always at all times prove ourselves trustworthy & responsible by delivering the goods of our stewardship. It tantamounts to wickedness to conceive & execute evil against our employers or those that entrusted something into our care. Let us eschew the evil intent of running any establishment down or plotting evil against the owner because of our selfish purposes. As St Peter admonished, we must grow in virtues especially in goodness, kindness, devotion, self-control & love. For to whom much is given, much is expected (Lk. 12:48).

🙏Let us pray: Owner of the Vineyard, teach us everyday to be accountable for our individual gifts & goods entrusted to our care. May we deliver the harvest at vintage time. Amen!

🙏We pray for all those who display gross irresponsibility in the management of public & private goods, may they learn to be responsible & accountable. Amen!

🙇🏻‍♂️I pray for you & your family in this month of June, that God's inexhaustible goodness, kindness, & favor may be with you. May He take you to where the pasture is greener. Amen!

🙇🏻‍♂️St. Justin, pray for us!

🙌Give us your grace to cope!

Sunday May 31, 2026. 9th Sunday of the year A

🙏🏻Joyful thanksgiving to God for the month end!

👨‍👨‍👦Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

White: ⛪❤👨‍👨‍👦🙏🏵🎗

📖1st Reading: Ex. 34:4-6. 8-9

Responsorial Psalm: Dan. 3 🎺🎻🎷🎶 🎼 (R.v. 52) To you glory & praise for evermore.

📖2nd Reading:
2Cor. 13:11-13

Alleluia! Alleluai!!
Rev. 1:8

Glory to the Father, the Son, & the Holy Spirit: to God who is, who was, & who is to come. Alleluia!!!

📖Gospel Reading: Jn. 3:16-18

Theme: *The Holy Trinity: One Purpose & One Goal!*

🎤Reflection:

➕While encountering God with the two tablets of stone containing the commandments, Moses proclaimed Him as God of tenderness & compassion, slow to anger & rich in faithfulness. He then beckoned on Him to accompany them on the journey. Though the people were headstrong, he begged for forgiveness on their behalf.

➕Jesus detailed to Nicodemus His mission on earth. The love of the Father for the world made Him to send His Son to redeem mankind so that whoever that believed would have eternal life. He sent the Son not to condemn, but whoever that refused to believe Him had been condemned already.

➕Dearest brothers & sisters, what is celebrated today is a Feast embedded in mystery beyond human comprehension. Among all the mono-theistic religions it is only Christianity that professes belief in three Persons in one God; Co-Eternal, Co-Equal & Consubstantial. It is an 'operating system' that involves 3 Persons of the same substance, essence or nature in one God. While the Moses beckoned on God the Father to accompany them on their exodus journey despite the people's sin, in the Gospel, Jesus drilled Nicodemus on the mandate of the Father to the Son accomplished by the Spirit for the salvation of the world!

➕Years before the doctrinal controversies that led to the convocation of the 1st Ecumenical Councils, Tertullian, an early Christian apologist, initiated the use of the Latin words; Trinitas (Trinity), Persona (Person) & Substantia (Substance). Hence, while in the fight against Arianism the Council of Nicaea (AD 326) defined the Substance of the Son as one with the Father (Homoousios), the Council of Constantinople (AD 381) identified the Holy Spirit with the Godhead, & the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451) defined the Hypostatic union of Jesus Christ; i.e., Jesus is one Person with two Natures; Human & Divine.

➕Therefore, the Holy Trinity is Co-eternal, Co-equal & Consubstantial. The Bible, however, didn't explicitly use the term "Trinity," but it reveals God as a relational being, existing in perfect unity & love (Cf. Gen. 2:26, Is. 9:6, Mat. 28:19, Jn. 1:1-14, Jn. 10:30 & 2Cor. 13:14). Remarkably, the Father created (Gen. 1:1), the Son redeemed (Jn. 3:16) & the Holy Spirit sanctified (Acts. 2:1-4). Though distinct in their functions, the Trinity gears towards the same goal & purpose. It is quintessentially a unity in diversity. On this special day, the Church wants us to understand that: 1️⃣Our faith as Christians is built on the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. 2️⃣God is always with us in one of His Persons. 3️⃣The Trinity is founded in love. 4️⃣Our diversity is a big plus if we act in unity. & 5️⃣We must live Trinitarian life as Christians for we are baptized in the Trinity.

➕The mystery of the Holy Trinity is a testament to God's immeasurable love & complexity. It teaches us about love, relationships, the interconnectedness of all creatures. The Three Persons combine in action in order to birth us as Christians. In other words, we are Trinitarian-made through our baptism. While the Catechism of the Catholic Church (ccc. 237) acknowledges that the Blessed Trinity is a mystery inaccessible to human reason alone, it however inspires us to live in love, unity & service to God & one another. As St Augustine would teach; the Father is the lover, the Son is the loved one, & the Holy Spirit is the personification of the very act of loving. We must therefore imitate the Trinity by embracing the trinitarian life in all our dealings & in unity achieve common purpose. There is diversity of gifts, but the same Spirit, diversity of ministries, but rendered to the same Lord, & diversity of works, but the same God works in all (1Cor. 12:4-6).

🙏Let us pray: Triune God, we are made in you. Accompany us in our life's journey so as to live in you & you in us. Amen!

🙏🏼We pray for the daily renewal of the Trinitarian Love, One God in Three Persons in the lives of all Christian & non christian peoples. Amen!

😄Happy Trinity Sunday!

🙌Glory be to the Father & the Son & the Holy Spirit!

Saturday May 30, 2026. 8th Week in the Ordinary Time of the year 2.

🌻Memorial of Blessed Virgin Mary.

White: ⛪📖🌼✨🌟📤👑

📖1st Reading: Jude 1:17, 20-25

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 62 🎺🎻🎷🎶 🎼 (R.v. 2) For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord, my God!

Alleluia! Alleluai!!
1Pet. 1:25

The Word of the Lord remains forever: What is this Word? It is the Good News that has been brought to you. Alleluia!!!

📖Gospel Reading : Mk. 11:27-33

Theme: *The Philosophical Jesus!*

🎤Reflection:

➕The chief priests, scribes & elders of the people came to ask Jesus the source of His authority for driving people out from the temple. He told them that He could only answer their question on the condition that they would tell Him the source of John's baptism; from man or God. In their discernment they reasoned that admitting it came from God, He would ask them why they failed to believe him & if man, they would face the people's wrath who believed it came from God. They told Him that they didn't know, & Jesus told them that He wouldn't tell them the source of His authority either.

➕One of the endowments of the Holy Spirit on believers is manifested in boldness of our spirit. With this, faith in God is proclaimed courteously & without fear. Jesus boldly dislodged His detractors with His superior argument!

➕Children of God, in a modern world where so many articles of faith fly about like dangerous virus, we must be well grounded in the knowledge of God as contained in the Scriptures, & also be filled with the Spirit in order to defend our faith. This ability would definitively destroy every threat to our faith.

➕Our birth in the Holy Spirit must find expression in bold profession of faith & not chickening out in the face of false. As Peter puts it, "you must be ready to give answer to anyone who asks the reason for the hope you profess, but you must do so with gentility & courtesy (1Pt. 3:15).

🙏Let us pray: Invincible God, enbolden us to stand in defence of the faith we profess. Put your divine words in us to always carry us through. Amen!

🙏We pray for all those who are yet to boldly profess their faith in Jesus & in God, may they be endowed so as to be strong in their profession of faith. Amen!

🙇🏻‍♂️Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us!

🙌Be courageous & bold, success is ours

Wednesday May 27, 2026. 8th Week in the Ordinary Time of the year 2

👯‍♀️🕺🏻World Children's Day!

Green: ⛪🍈🌿🌱🍃🌲🌳🌴🍀

📖1st Reading: 1Pet. 1:18-25

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 147:12-15, 19-20 🎺🎻🎷🎶 🎼 (R.v. 12) O Praise the Lord, Jerusalem!

Alleluia! Alleluai!!
1Jn. 2:5

Whenever anyone obeys what Christ has said, God's love comes to perfection in him. Alleluia!!!

📖Gospel Reading: Mk. 10:32-45

Theme: *To serve & not to be served!*

🎤Reflection:

➕On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus took aside the 12 who were in a daze & told them about the suffering that awaited Him in the hands of the Chief priests & scribes, His condemnation, death, & resurrection after 3 days. Meanwhile, James & John came to ask Him the favor of flanking Him left & right in His kingdom. Jesus inquired of their readiness to take up the sufferings He was to undergo & they consented. However, Jesus let them know that though they are ready, that sitting on His left & right would be exclusively His Father's choice. The other 10 felt indignant with them, but Jesus calming them said that high-handedness should not be found among them; that the greatest of them should be their servant. For He came not to be served, but to serve & to give His life as a ramson for many.

➕To always be at the service of others is an aspect of life which many average people would not want to willingly engage in, because it takes rare virtue of humility & self-abnegation to do. And yet, Jesus made it clear that His coming into the world is to serve & not to be served!

➕ Humble servants of God, it was Pope Gregory the Great who popularized the traditional papal title: "Servus servorum Dei," meaning "Servant of the servanta of God," highlighting humility & the Popes' role as servants of all God's people. Although a role that has many salutary effects, serving others is not something so tasteful for many. Most people love to have the act of service rendered to them rather than the vice versa. In our clime, it sometimes appears that wherever the eagerness to serve is in high demand, there is probably something ulterior that the "inspired" or self-acclaimed servants want to achieve.

➕James & John's request is a typical average person's approach to issues about life, leadership, & service. They wanted to be in authority & to be served! For them, greatness is measured by power, status, wealth, & recognition, but for Jesus, it is humility, sacrifice, & love. In the Church, community, & most especially in politics, we see so many aspirants flying on the wings of service to the people. Majority of them if they succeeded, would serve if at all, only themselves. The camouflaged humility would give way & their real selves of lordship would surface!

➕Jesus calls us today to walk the same way He did. Service goes with honesty, integrity, self-effacing, & humility. Greatness actually begins in simple acts of kindness, patient, sacrifice, & humility. We need to seek more not recognition, but opportunities to serve. There is no humiliation in humility, & humility can never go out of fashion. May we bear in mind always wherever we find ourselves that we are called principally to serve & if in any way we find ourselves in a position to be served, let our mindset be that of servants of fellow servants, that is, servant-leadership. For He has brought down rulers from their mighty thrones but has lifted up the humble (Lk. 1:52).

🙏Let us pray: God our Father, give us the strength & disposition to serve. May your blessings be upon us as we serve you in our fellow beings. Amen!

🙏We pray for all those who who pride themselves so much that they look down on service or out of ulterior motive desire to serve. May God heal them of their pride & greed respectively, & make them see the salutary effects in serving others. Amen!

😁God is Almighty!

🙌Let us serve Him in holiness & justice!