Proclaiming our Christian Faith Through Social Media and Blogging

Writing is a gift. By extension, so is blogging. It's something I can't take out of my system, although it may hibernate from time to time.

I've been active in social media the past year, sharing the gospel of the Lord everyday, to the extent possible, in our Cool Catholics Facebook Page, Twitter account and Instagram account. Thanks to all the 814 FB followers, 773 Twitter followers and 190 Instagram followers as of this writing.

Here is Why Your Faith Won't Save You

You may be doing all the things a Catholic does: go to Mass, pray the Novena, say the Rosary, make the sign of the cross as you pray before meals, go to orphanages, etc. But then something might still be bothering you: isn't it enough to believe in Jesus?

I mean, you may be asking, at least in your mind, "Why do we need to do all these stuff that the Church is telling us to do?"

There's a long answer below. But to those who are busy, here are the quick answers:

1. Is faith in Jesus enough? No, it is not enough. It is the means to salvation, but salvation is the more important thing.
2. Why do we do all these 'stuff' that the Church tells us to do? To obey Jesus.

Having faith in Jesus and obeying Him are two different things!

Fasting: The Exercise for the Soul

The gospel reading today is relatively short. Yet in its shortness it perfectly illustrates what a Catholic --- the lay Catholic, most especially --- must go through in pursuing one's path to holiness.

The gospel mentions (1) the 40 days of fasting, (2) the temptation of Christ, (3) the death of John the Baptist and the beginning of Christ's ministry. Let me expound on these.

God Lives With or Without You

If you encounter someone who lives his or her life as if God does not exist, know that God is allowing it. God's greatest gift to mankind is man's ability to choose - and God does not withdraw that gift from us even if the choices we make lead us away from Him.

Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
(Mark 1:44 NAB)

Let's not be misled though. Our ability to make choices does not change the nature of God at all. Non-believers think that, if God truly exists, God would come down to appease us and make amends by conforming to what we think God should be.

Where Does The Burning Zeal to Preach Come From?

Saint Paul's zeal to preach the gospel was evident in the number of letters he wrote that made it to the New Testament. It was also evident in the number of places on the known earth during his time where he preached the gospel. We could credit much of Christianity today to Saint Paul's ministry.

The Missionary Journeys of Saint Paul
Image Credit: christiantiyoasis.com

Was it because of Paul's sheer desire to preach the Word? Apparently, not. Absolutely not. He experienced drudgery too. Yet he pulled himself to. Why? It was because of the "force" within him that pushed him, as can be gleaned by what Saint Paul himself said about his zeal in the gospel today:

If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it! If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship. 1 Corinthians 9:16-17 NAB

“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men”

Are you currently serving as leader of a Christian community currently encountering challenges in your mission as "fisher of men"? Do you ask, "Why me, Lord?" Does this question nag you from inside and beg for an answer?

Perhaps the gospel today would give you some answers. You see, Jonah didn't want to go to Niniveh. He thought that city deserved the punishment due it and he couldn't wait to see that city suffer.

Yet, God insisted that Jonah go there to preach about God's impending wrath. The people repented and God withheld his punishment. Deep inside Jonah felt betrayed. Jonah was angry.

Pope Francis: Let Us Learn How to Weep

While the Masses in the rest of the world spoke about Simon having been named Peter by Jesus (John 1:42), Peter's successor Pope Francis said mass in the Philippines to around 6 million Filipinos towards the close of his pastoral visit.

In the mass said by the Pope, a different gospel was read. It was about Jesus and the children whose "angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven". After all, the Sunday before the Pope's flight back to Rome coincided with the Feast of the Sto Nino, a Proper Feast in the Philippines.

The 3 Notoriously Incomplete Notions of Christianity That May Mislead You

"What is Christianity?" How many do you think can answer that question in one sentence or even in a three-word clause?

Having grown up in in a Catholic environment, that question may be tough to answer, coz Christianity is simply what we do! It's something that, perhaps, we remember most as something our parents do. For those who were schooled in Catholic institutions, Christiantiy may be what the school administrators do. In most cases, it's something that "they" do, which "we" then obediently follow.

Following the examples of those whom we consider as "authorities" in our personal lives is indeed the way faith has been passed on through centuries. Or is it?

To Be or Not To Be Materially Wealthy

I came across a Catholic article entitled, Does God Want Us to Be Wealthy? I was intrigued by its reply to the question.

Basically the article says No, God wants us to be poor. It even ended up saying, "Most of the saints who were born into wealth renounced it sooner or later." Is this really what the Church is saying?

With no less than 99% of Catholics all over the world being lay Catholics (source: Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate) who spend most of their lives in economic activities, this question is important. How can we accomplish our Mission in the Church if God really wants every Catholic to be materially poor?

3 Things You Can Offer to Christ in 2015

It's the Feast of the Epiphany. Today we know that 3 wise men, the "magi", offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11). What can we offer Christ in the manger today?

There are several verses in the Bible that can point us to the right direction. One of them can be from the book of James, which passionately says the following:

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? (James 2:14-17)

In short, let's do good works! That presumes of course that you already have faith. If you're not sure of your faith yet, then none of the following may not mean anything.