Author: Miguel J. Javier

The Vine

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
—John 15:5

The community is not the one true source of the grace of God. The only one true source is Jesus through Mary, and we receive that grace in abundance through the Church and her Sacraments that Jesus instituted Himself. The common misconception for the youth in our community is that they might think that Jesus is only found in the community and once one leaves the community, he/she leaves Jesus. We definitely experience the presence of Jesus in each other in a community in our brothers and sisters, but one cannot bank one’s entire faith in the community alone. We must be rooted in the Church first and foremost.

Community life is an extension of the life in the Church. It is an extension of the life and love in our families. A community can only truly thrive if its members are thriving in the Eucharist. A community will only truly grow if its members are growing in their interior life with God.

As a community, let us pray that we always encourage one another to thrive in the Sacraments, especially in the Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation. Let us inspire one another to abide in Him so that we can all truly bear fruit—fruit that will last.

Truly we can do nothing apart from Him, so let’s remain and abide in Him, The Vine, always.

May God grant us the grace to make a daily resolve to abide in Him. Amen.

Beyond Infinity In Us

I watched a documentary about the Universe with my mom when I was in Toronto and it was very interesting. It was very fascinating because the Universe to me can’t be anything short of awe and wonder.

God created everything with a purpose, even the mysteries of the Universe. I believe He made it and allowed us to see what we can with our telescopes simply for us to get a taste of how great He is. Also, the veil of the Universe speaks of the veil we have with God, a mystery we will never fully uncover. The Universe is a tangible sign for us of His greatness. Nothing else can give us the idea of it more than the limitlessness of time and space.

Then I started to meditate on the Maker of the Universe. God Himself. Today’s readings reminded me that God is Love, and since God created time and space, it was out of sheer Love. Hate, selfishness, vanity, greed, nothing else created all created things but Love. Since Love created all things, truly nothing is more powerful than the force of Love, and truly “what unites us is stronger than what divides us.”

Thus it is mind-boggling and amazing to know that “if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us.” (1 John 4). As limitless we think the Universe is, truly even more vast and limitless is the love of God. Truly we should never underestimate the creative power that is in us, and the consequences of that Truth in our lives!

His Love is truly beyond infinity and that Love is in us!

God, thank You for loving me first. You’re Love is beyond all thought and comprehension but You have revealed it to us through Your Son. Thank you for showing us how to Love. May we love like You. Amen.