Author: John Acosta

I have this book called “Understand Rap”.  It’s a useless book really but the entertainment value is AWESOME! It basically quotes rap lyrics and translates it to normal everyday english. Here’s an example from the famous song “Juicy” performed by the late rapper “Notorious B.I.G” : “I had the red and black lumberjack with the hat to match.” So, to translate that rap quote to regular english would be : “My wardrobe previously consisted of a dual-coloured wool coat  and cap in a plaid pattern, which was a fashionable style popularized by men who cut down trees and, now that I have shifted my attention to more expensive things, it is pleasing to me as I reminisce about my past and how my tastes have changed to match current fashion trends.”

I myself am a lover of hip hop music (mainly 90’s cause i’m old school), and I’ll be the first to admit that some of the stuff they “rap” about I don’t really understand or believe, but it sounds good! It kind of makes me think about the things Jesus said to His disciples or to other people He encountered. Jesus, like many rappers, likes to use metaphors to get His point across, and I’m sure some of the people were scratching their heads trying to understand or even believe what He said. But maybe He likes making us think, so that we can really understand and ponder on His words.  What if someone made a book called “Understanding  Jesus Quotes”. Breaking down some of His famous quotes and translating it to everyday english:

“Ask and it will be given. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened for you.” Translation:  God is ready to bless you. Ask.

“The first will be last and the last will be first.” Translation:  It is better to serve, than to be served.

“Take up your cross and follow Me” Translation: It’s not an easy road, but it’s worth it. 

“I am the Way the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.” Translation: Follow My example and believe in me. That is the only way you’ll get to Heaven. 

Jesus had the best quotes.  I know sometimes it takes awhile to really understand, but when we do, it was like having a “light bulb” moment or a “Ooooohhhhhh” moment! Like when you see someone do a crazy dance move or when someone says something super clever during a poetry slam competition. I bet you the crowds had those moments  when Jesus corrected the High Priest’s and the hypocrites. And it’s not like He was trying to embarrass them, He was just speaking the Truth! 

We don’t need to translate what Jesus says to us in order for us to “get it”. We just need to believe! Why?  Because He said it and He only speaks the truth.

Like how our Risen Lord conquered death so that we can have a brand new spiritual life every Easter, that would make anyone scratch their heads in confusion and disbelief. But because I believe in Him and in what He says, it’s easy for me to “get it”. Our faith makes anything understandable.

So every Easter Sunday, when the gospel re-tells the story of an empty tomb, I have that “OOOOHHHHHHHHH” moment because Christ is risen, indeed He has Risen!

Jesus, You the Truth foreal!

Amen!

This is a teaching I gave recently that I wanted to share with you all. May we have a blessed and meaningful Holy Week! 

It’s Holy Week once again. As Christians we commemorate and reflect on the meaning of the passion and suffering of Jesus Christ. It is just an ordinary week  to many but something more personal to us.

Below is the acronym H-O-L-Y W-E-E-K to help us make this week not just an ordinary week but a truly meaningful and a holy one.

HALT! Stop for a while, or at least slow down. Take time to rest and relax. Your body needs rest, so find time to be still. Go away, disappear. Rest a while.

OFF  with your worldly pursuits and concerns. Turn off your cellular phone if you have to, so that you can focus on your spiritual life this week. Forget quotas, forget deadlines and forget performance. Just be. Don’t let the world and its cares disturb the tranquility of your mind and soul this week. Let the world go by, and let the Lord take care of everything for once. Surprise yourself. Rediscover your inner strengths and simple joys. OFF to the world. ON to your heart. ON to your God.

LISTEN. If you are in the Off or Silent mode, then you can really listen, pray and meditate. Take time to listen to God and tell him what’s happening with your life. Allow the Father to wrap His loving arms around your shoulders once again and just listen. Listen also to your own inner self, not just to your day-to-day wants and needs. Is there something you are missing in your life? Is there something more you need to do?

 YIELD to God. Let go of your grip on your own life. Be on the lookout for His road signs as you travel on. Listen to His instructions, and you will find your way. Better still, let Him do the navigating and the driving.

WARM up your relationships. Time to allow your loved ones to feel that warm-and-sunny-spring you and not the cold-and-cloudy-winter you. Reach out to the people you have taken for granted or left out altogether. Time to call a friend and use your lifeline, or ask your audience – for an apology, for help, for suggestions. Call, talk, write, smile and hug. Use anything that will help you repair, restore and revitalize your relationships.

ERASE the burdens of guilt and sin with a good, honest and humble confession. Heed God’s call: “Come back to me, with all your heart. Don’t let sin keep us apart. Long have I waited for your coming home to me.” In response to God’s love, may we all say to God, especially this week: “Create a clean heart in me; 0 God. Give back to me the joy of your salvation.” Time also to erase hurts, resentments, anger and ill feelings. Forgive people who hurt you, and ask for forgiveness from people you have hurt, cheated, used or abused in any way.

EXPRESS your love. Whatever you do, especially this week, like praying, fasting, works of penance and deeds of charity, let them all be expressions of your love and gratitude to God. Let them be done not out of fear, or out of obligation.

KNEEL down. In humility, kneel down in prayer before God and thank Him for suffering so much. Thank Him for dying on the cross and for rising again for our salvation. Somebody died for you and me. Let us not allow this week to pass without personally thanking Him.

As our lenten journey comes to a close may this Holy Week be a time for us to Halt, Off, Listen, Yield to God, Warm up, Erase, Express our love and Kneel down so that we may appreciate the reason why we call this week Holy!

PRAYER OF REFLECTION:  Lord, help me make Holy Week really holy. Amen

“First World problems” is a phrase that’s been used many times, more commonly as a “hash-tag.” It describes (and I had to look it up)  “what we in a country of privilege see as challenges that pale in comparison to the serious, life-threatening problems of people in other countries.”  So what are some examples of “First World problems”?

• Your computer crashes  and you lose all your documents and “selfie” pictures.
• You forget your cell phone at home.
• The Starbucks barista spelled your name wrong on your coffee cup.

And the list goes on and on. Don’t get me wrong, some of these problems can be challenging, but they aren’t on the scale of living a life of poverty or surviving in a country stricken by war.

Jesus was never concerned about worldly problems. Why? Cause He was not of this world. He was simply sent by the Father so that we may live. Our “first world problems” are related to the “first life” we are living, which are all earthly issues.  Jesus lived His “first life” here on earth so that we all may have a “second life” in heaven, the life of resurrection.

The thought of a “second life” makes us ask questions, which is totally normal.

• What will it be like?
• Who will be there?
• How will it compare to life here on earth?

We’ve all tried to imagine, with our limited minds, what life after death will be like, but resurrected life is far beyond our ability to comprehend while we are still here living our “first life”.  We are called to trust in our covenant relationship with God, a relationship that goes beyond “first world problems” , “first life problems”, even death. Jesus reminds us that “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living”.

As we draw closer to Holy Week, may we be reminded when Jesus carried all the problems of the world on His back, nailed it to the cross, and destroyed it on the Easter Sunday.

Let the problems of our “first life” be a reminder of our “no problems” we will experience in our “second life”.

If there is one thing we do know about the “second life”  it is that we will all be alive with God. And believe me, nothing can be better than that.

Amen!