Photo: It's Christmas! (12-12-05)

jc on JC: The Christ of Christmas

This poem perfectly encapsulates my thoughts about Christmas. May it help bring back the wonder of season into your life! Heaven is Here: Down is Up and Up is Down by HORACIO DE LA COSTA, S.J. Christmas is when we celebrate the unexpected; it is the festival of surprise. This is the night when shepherds wake to the songs of angels; when the Earth has a star for a satellite; when wise men go on a fool's errand, bringing gifts to a Prince they have not seen, in a country they do not know. This is the night when one small donkey bears on its back the weight of the world's desire, and an ox plays host to the Lord of heaven. This is the night when we are told to seek our King, not in a palace but in a stable. Although we have stood here, year after year, as our fathers before us, the wonder has not faded, nor will it ever fade; the wonder of that moment when we push open the little door, and enter, and entering find in the arms of a Mother, who is a Virgin, a Baby Who is a God. Chesterton has said it for all of us: the only way to view Christmas properly is to stand on one's head. Was there ever a house more topsy-turvy than the House of Christmas, the cave where Christ was born? For here, suddenly, in the very heart of Earth, is Heaven; down is up and up is down, the angels and the stars look down on God who made them and God looks up at the things He made. There is no room in an inn for Him who made room, and to spare, for the Milky Way; and where God is homeless, all men are at home. We were promised a Savior, but we never dreamed that God himself would come to save us. We knew that He loved us, but we never dared to think that He loved us so much as to become like us. But that is the way God gives. His gifts are never quite what we expect, but always something better than we hoped for. We can only dream of things too good to be true; God has a habit of giving things too good to be false. That is why our faith is a faith in the unexpected, a religion of surprise. Now more than ever, living in times so troubled, facing a future so uncertain, we need such faith. We need it for ourselves, and we need it to give to others. We must remind the world that if Christmas comes in the depth of winter, it is that there may be an Easter in the spring. +Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

jc on JC: Jesus the Bridegroom

"Mabuti pa ang Roma may bagong Papa, AKO WALA!!! (Rome has just gotten a new pope, but why on earth am I still single?)” screamed my gorgeous and gregarious friend Noreen. I chuckled at the amusing way she phrased her lament, but I must admit that her candor got me to thinking, “Yeah, why are we still unattached at this age?” When I was in my teens, I told myself that I would get married at 29, late by other people’s standards, because I want to be able to pursue my dreams before settling down. Well, I am turning 31 in a few weeks and I am still as single as ever. I’ve been around the world and back, pursued my goals until I outran and eventually outgrew many of them, but I am still alone.

Like Noreen, I long to be part of a couple. But that has obviously not happened yet. And there’s no telling when it will happen. Most of time, I am okay with it. Thanks to God, my family and, of course, my fantastic friends. Yet, there are moments when I wish I can just buy me and my single gal pals our husbands of choice from the nearest Sari-sari store. If only life were that simple. And if only I were that rich.I started praying for my future mate at the age of 12. Two years later, I kidded God, “Don’t tell me you’re going to have me wait for 10 years.” This, if you care to know, is my 19th year of waiting and praying. I am glad God keeps the secret things to Himself. Getting a little exasperated, I told Him in 2001, “God, I have been waiting for 16 years.” Not really expecting an answer, I heard God whisper in my spirit, “I have been waiting since the beginning of time!” That stopped me from grumbling. I realized that God had just unveiled before me a spiritual truth. He was revealing to me the deep cry of His heart.

Photo: Dream Gown (02-23-05)

It is interesting to note that the Bible begins and ends with a wedding. It starts with Adam and Eve’s garden wedding in Eden and climaxes with the wedding feast of the Lamb in heaven. Author and prophet Derek Prince also pointed out in one of his books that Jesus’ first ever recorded miracle was performed at a wedding—the wedding in Cana where He turned water into wine. All this tells me that I serve a loving and passionate God—a God who authored romance. And He doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with His single children (this writer included!) who dream of one day getting hitched to the right man or woman.

After all, the story of creation is a love story—the story of a God who longed so much to love that He created a whole world of people to whom He could shower His affections. When His world erred, He devised a way to woo her back, in the most chivalrous way He could think of—by leaving the glory of heaven behind, taking the form of a man through Jesus Christ, dying a most gruesome and degrading death on the cross and rising from the dead just so He could take her to Himself. The Bible, in fact, calls us His church, the bride of Christ. And even now, He is at work, trying to get our attention and patiently pursuing us so that we could start a love relationship with Him.

Yes, Jesus has been waiting since the beginning of time for His bride. When it hit me what this meant to God, I told Him that I would commit my life to making His bride ready for Him, a pure and radiant bride that would be deserving of His love. And in this journey, I feel so fortunate to have met men and women who share the same passion. I am especially touched to have met some valiant women who left everything to serve the Bridegroom.

In China, I met Cece. At 23, Cece was living the American Dream. Promoted as manager of a thriving tourist company in Las Vegas, she enjoyed the perks that came along with title—a new car, a luxurious apartment, a fancy office. Then, late one night, she had a dream. “I dreamt of three Chinese kids. They were poor and very dirty and had little clothes and they were crying,” says the soft-spoken Cece, “Although I put their images at the back of my mind, I couldn’t forget them.” At that time, she did not know anything about Asia or the Chinese culture and “didn’t even like eating rice.”

After that epiphany, the career and the perks just didn’t satisfy Cece anymore. She left everything behind and relocated in Beijing, where she met street children who looked very much like the three kids in her dream. Cece single-handedly took care of 35 children in her small home. She had had to deal not just with culture shock, child care duties and disciplinary problems, she also had to play cat-and-mouse with syndicates who used to manipulate these children. Thankfully, the Chinese government intervened. Cece is now managing Wisdom Springs Technical School in the outskirts of Beijing. Her school houses 40 children who are learning about the love of Jesus, while taking English, Math and Computer lessons.

In Camarines Sur, I met Lalaine. At 21, the diminuitive Lalaine started serving the Bridegroom by establishing churches in the remotest areas of Bicol. This she did with another female team partner, until that person went ahead with her life and got married. Undaunted, Lalaine pursued her mission alone, often times taking 3-to-5-hour mountain treks just to reach her wards, sometimes crying all the way. When she reached a town, she would befriend the natives, counsel them, tell them about the of love God and even teach them some practical skills.

When the desires of her heart conflicted with her vocation, she didn’t have a hard time choosing. Two years ago, Lalaine gave up a relationship because the person she was engaged to didn’t share the same vision. At 32, it seemed to be the most absurd choice at that time, considering it might be her last chance of getting married. It was a very painful decision but she found solace in God and in the church. Today there’s no telling how many lives Lalaine has touched because she stuck with that decision. The last time we talked she was teaching values to the local police, was mentoring around 120 soldiers from the army, and ministering to the needs of at least two whole baranggays, which also includes members of the NPA, by the way.

And oh, I am very happy to tell you that 34-year-old Lalaine is getting married this year! God sent Mr. Right a few months after she broke up with her ex-fiancé. Thirty-five-year-old Cece, on the other hand, is happily single in the company of her 40 adopted children, plus Mocha, Butterscotch, and Cream—her Siamese cats. The lives of these two great women speak to me about the limitless power of God, made available to those who are completely yielded to Him.

And so, even as we make the most of our every waking moment, Jesus and I wait on—He for His Bride and I for my future groom. Who knows what will happen next? For now, I rest in the thought that God knows how I feel. Yes, there is a point to all this waiting. If God has been this patient, I’m sure I can be, too. Cheer up, Noreen

jc on JC: The Pain of Betrayal

Jesus Christ was no stranger to betrayal. His very own disciple sold him to the chief priest for 30 pieces of silver coins. Most of us are familiar with Judas’ story, but he was not the only disciple who betrayed Jesus. Actually, all of the disciples left Jesus after He was arrested. At ang pinaka-matapang pa sa kanila, Si Peter (And the boldest of them all, Peter,) , who swore that he would lay his life for Jesus, nang magkagipitan na (when push came to shove), denied to people that he knew Jesus. He denied Jesus three times.

Imagine your best friend, the one you love the most, denying that he or she knows you. Di ba masakit yon (Isn't that painful)? How did Jesus respond to such an act of treachery? Did He zap Peter and the disciples out of existence? Far from it.

Photo: Let the "Pane" Remain (3-19-05)

A few days after Jesus resurrected from the dead, the disciples had already given up hope and were getting ready to go back to their old jobs as fishermen. They went out to fish the whole day but caught nothing. Wala silang nahuli ni dilis (Not even a fingerling).

Just as they were about to give up, Jesus appeared on the shore and told them to throw the net on the right side of the boat. And voila! They caught so much fish! 153 to be exact. That made them realize that the person who spoke to them from the shore was Jesus! Peter got so excited he jumped out of the boat and ran toward Him.

Kung ikaw, alam mong me atraso ka sa tao, syempre magdadalawang isip ka kung lalapit ka sa taong nasaktan mo (If you know you have wronged someone, it would be hard for you to approach the person you have offended). While Peter was running to Jesus, a million thoughts must have been running through his head. Thoughts like—Will He turn me away? Ano kayang parusa ang ipapataw sa akin (What hurtful words will I receive from Him)? Yet, when Peter reached shore, he saw that Jesus had actually prepared a meal for them. Nag-ihaw siya ng isda at may dala siyang tinapay para sa kanila (He cooked a simple meal of fish and bread for them). Instead of rebuking them for abandoning Him, Jesus asked his disciples to come and eat. That is how gracious and loving our God is.

All of us are sometimes like Peter and the rest of the disciples, we make wrong decisions, we commit mistakes, we sin. After that, we feel afraid to approach God, afraid how He might turn us away, or worse, punish us. But remember that Jesus died on the cross and rose to life so that we can have forgiveness of sins. Don’t run away from God. He is running towards you, not to punish you, but to bless you. All you have to do is to make a 180-degree turn from your sins and trust Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

At para sa mga taong na-betray ng mga kaibigan, asawa o magulang (And for those who have been betrayed by friends, spouses or parents), Jesus knows how you feel. Give your burden to Him, He cares a lot about what you are going through. Look to Him for help and He will empower you to forgive to those who hurt you just as Jesus did.

jc on JC: Alive!

Photo: Manila Bay Sun (3-24-05)

Have you ever pinned your hopes on something only to watch it die? Have you ever felt the pain of losing a dream, something you’ve wanted so badly that every fiber of your being ached for it, only to have it disappear from your very grasp?

I have. And I am sure sometime in your life, you have experienced it, too. A loss too personal, too painful to even articulate. It may be the death of a relationship, a life-long ambition, or a deeply-cherished vision.

As I sit here at my desk this Easter morning, I am taken back to the day my dream had died. All I could do then was to lay my broken heart down at the foot of the cross. And as I stood there grieving, God gently reminded me of the story of Mary Magdalene and her encounter with Jesus that first Easter morn.

Seeing an empty tomb, the disciples decided to go back home, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other a the foot.

They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”


“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

“Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking, he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned around toward him and cried out Aramiac, “Teacher!” (John 20:10-16)

I have read this passage many times in the Bible since then, but it never fails to enthrall me still. Mary had lost all hope. All her dreams had died along with her Messiah. In her grief, she did not even comprehend she had just talked to angels. But God was not finished with her yet. A few heartbeats later, He unfolded to Mary the biggest surprise of them all—Jesus! Alive!

I imagine that that one look, that one word took away all the pain and grief that Mary had bore. And in that instant, all her hopes for the future, all the unspoken prayers of her heart, all the dreams she had long cherished within her were made alive again.

Jesus is alive! Can you comprehend all that this implies? He was made alive for you, for me, so that we can hope hopes and dream dreams again. Hopes and dreams that will never die or be taken away. Hopes and dreams that He will one day lovingly fulfill, if only we believe.

This is what Easter means to me. And this, I believe, is His message for you today.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives

jc on JC: Highway to Heaven

Photo: Songhua Bridge, Harbin

Don’t you feel sometimes that we are on a perennial journey? Do you know that in our lifetime we will spend at least 6 years of our lives just traveling? Nasa highway ka. Traffic. Late ka na sa appointment mo. Ano ang gagagwin mo? (You’re on the highway. Traffic is bad and you’re about to be late for an appointment. What are you going to do?) If you’re like me, you will look for an alternative route. A short cut! Dito sa Manila malaking tulong kung alam mo ang mga pasikot-sikot ng mga kalye. (Here in Manila it pays to be familiar with the side streets.) If one road is congested, you can always another way to reach your destination. Or you can try another means of getting there. Traffic ba sa Edsa? Mag-MRT ka! (Is traffic bad in Edsa? Take the MRT then.)

We can also compare our spiritual lives to a journey. All of us, one way or the other, are seeking fulfillment and meaning in life. Ano nga ba ang ibig sabihin ng buhay? Bakit ba ako pinanganak? Ano ang misyon ko sa mundo? (What is the meaning of life? Why was I born? What is my mission in life?) There’s only person in this world who can answer all our existential questions—God, the One who created us all.

Throughout history, man has devised ways to get to God. Some have tried religion. Others study various kinds of philosophies. To get on God’s good side, people have gotten into all kinds of rituals. Yung iba namamanata pa (Some people even do penance). They punish their bodies and deprive themselves of certain pleasures to win God’s favor. To get God to listen to their petitions.

Fact is there is only one way to God. And the ticket to this highway cannot be earned by performing any ritual or good work. Isa lang ang daan patungo sa Diyos. At ito ay hindi madadaam sa ritwal o anumang klase ng pagsusumikap. That Way is a person— He is Jesus Christ. Jesus said: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Ako ang Daan, Katotohanan at Buhay. Walang makakapunta sa Diyos Ama kundi sa pamamagitan ko.” (John 14:6). No other man in history has had the audacity to make such claims.

Jesus is the only way because He alone paid for our sins on the cross to reconcile us to God. Jesus is the only way to God. Not religion, not any saint, not even Mother Mary. That’s what the Bible said.

How exactly can Jesus lead us to God? You just ask. Ask Him through a simple prayer. Jesus said: “Ask and you will receive. Knock and the door will be opened to you. Seeks and you will find. I will do whatever you ask in My Name. You may ask Me for anything in My Name and I will do it.” Let me tell you something, this prayer can change your life. It has changed mine and countless others around the world. Are you tired of spinning around in circles? Why not let Jesus lead the way?

Dear God,

I am tired of walking around in circles. I am tired of walking into dead ends. I am tired of carving out paths that lead to nowhere. I want to know You. I want to know the reason why You created me. I want to know my purpose in life. Thank you that because of what Jesus did I can gain access to You—the Giver of true life, love and wisdom. Today I make the decision to follow your Son. Lead me, God, to all the wonderful things that You have prepared for me.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

jc on JC: Jesus and Brad Pitt

Photo courtesy of the Gladiator website

& JC Gomez

Pause with me for a while and think of this question: What physical attributes do you want your dream man or woman to have? A beautiful face, deep-set eyes, a nice physique? Let’s face it, mahilig tayo sa mga magaganda at mga guapo (we like looking at beautiful people). But let me ask you another question: What about your dream God? What does He look like? Have you ever imagined how Jesus looked like in the flesh? Sorry to disappoint you, but Jesus didn’t come down looking like Brad Pitt.

In fact, it’s quite the opposite. If Jesus came down on earth today, we might not even recognize, much less give Him our time of day. The Bible doesn’t give us a lot of clues as to what Jesus looked like. But there’s a passage in the Old testament that gives us some idea. The prophet Isaiah says of Jesus: “He has no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.” (Isaiah 53:3-4) By the world’s standards, Jesus was not good-looking. He was not matinee-idol o movie-star-material.

The Bible said that Jesus was “a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces.” But even if He's not handsome in the world's eyes, that didn't stop Him from fulfilling the very purpose why He came here on earth--to save us from our sins and let us experience abundant live. During His time on earth, His being plain-looking didn’t stop people from approaching Him. Throngs of people would come to Jesus to listen to Him preach. Even outcasts would talk to Him. Because even though He might not be as attractive as Brad Pitt, these people were drawn by Jesus’ heart—His kindness, His compassion, His honesty. Jesus truly cared for people. And that is what makes a person truly attractive.

Do you sometimes wish you were prettier or more handsome? Is their a part of your body you want to change? You don’t have to measure yourself according to the world’s standard of beauty. You are special the way you are. You are a unique individual created in the image of God! No one is the world is exactly like you and no one else can accomplish what God wants to accomplish through your life!

The Bible says man may put a lot of importance on the outer appearance but God looks at the heart. Instead of fretting about your looks, why not try to cultivate qualities that matter to God? Qualities like wisdom, kindness, self-control, love, compassion. Do that and you’ll be on Jesus’ list of most attractive people!

jc on JC: Two Questions That Saved My Life

In my entire life, I’ve been asked so many questions about many things. But there are two questions that literally saved my life.

Q 1: If you die tonight, do you think you would go to heaven?
Q 2: If you appeared in front of God and He asks you would, “Why would I let you into my heaven?” What would you say?

Pretty tough questions aren’t they? But they are worth thinking about. Because you’re eternal destiny is at stake here.

The good news is heaven is a free gift from God. In the Bible, Jesus said, “God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that who so ever BELIEVES in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.”

The reason why Jesus came down on earth is to reconcile our broken relationship with God. He died on the cross so that we can have forgiveness of sins. Every one who believes in Jesus can have eternal life. I repeat: Every one who has faith in Jesus will get to live Him forever in heaven. If you have trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can die tonight with the full assurance that you will go to directly to heaven.

You might asking, is it really that easy? You mean I just have to trust in Jesus as my Lord and Savior? You must be kidding. Well, those are Jesus’ words not mine. And Jesus doesn’t lie.

A lot of us has this notion that we have to be extra kind or generous to be able to get a ticket to heaven. In short, we have to work hard to earn a spot in heaven. Well, the Bible says that salvation or eternal life is a free gift. It is a gift from God—not by works, so that no one can boast. No matter how good you are, even if they canonize you as a saint, if you don‘t have Jesus in your life, your eternal destiny is gloomy indeed.

You may be wondering, if good works cannot buy us a slot in heaven, why do good at all? Well, we should do good works out of gratitude to God. Imagine, He has done everything in His power to save us from eternal condemnation and torment. He sacrificed His own son to show how much He loves us. There’s a saying that goes, “Our life is God’s gift to us, what we do with our life is our gift to Him.” Furthermore, as God’s children it is our duty to love God and our neighbor for these are the two most important commandments of God.

So let me ask you, If you die tonight, do you think you would go to heaven? If you appeared in front of God and He asks you would, “Why would I let you into my heaven? What would you say?

I hope your answer is: Yes, I will go to heaven because I have trusted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

If not, why don't you surrender His life right now? Yes, right now. He's just a prayer away.

Lord, I confess I'm a sinner and I deserve to die for my sins. Thank you for loving me and sending Jesus to die in my place. I surrender my life to You right now and make You Lord and Savior of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and preparing a place in heaven for me. Help me live a life that is pleasing to You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer above, do drop me a line, ok? You've just embarked on the greatest adventure of your life!