WORD ALIVE

Miss  Melissa  Ramos is an  ambitious,  go-getting  woman whose  main  preoccupation is academic achievement. She  has  two undergraduate degrees, two MA degrees and a Ph.D. As she  pursues her  second  Ph.D., the stress and strain of  concentrated study begins  to show. She has lost her sense of humor. She has  become more  and  more irritable. The frown on her face never seems  to vanish.

Finally,  a  wise old professor called her into  his  office. "Melissa,"  he  said, "I see you're not at all  relaxed,  weighed down  by  MAs and PhDs. It's plain and  simple.  You're  killing yourself by degrees!"

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The advice of that wise professor  sounds  like the  concern of Jesus over his apostles in the gospel of this 16th Sunday which goes, “After  they were sent out in pairs, the  apostles  had returned  and  reported  to Jesus "all that  they  had  done  and taught." 
They had been so busy, the evangelist St. Mark writes, that they had no  time even to eat (Mk 6,31). 

Jesus  recognized the need to slow down, to back off  for  a while. He thus invited his disciples to "a lonely, out-of-the-way place by themselves, and  rest awhile" (Mk 6,30).

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During the time of Christ, there was obviously no communications media like the TV, Internet, radio, or movie, yet the large crowd of people  became  the "noise and distraction"  detrimental  to  the much-needed  peace  and quiet. 

No one had a  more  important  and urgent  mission  than did Jesus, and yet he knew  that  important things cannot be accomplished without physical well-being and peace of mind. This shows the human side of the Lord.

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We live in a fast-paced society where we have instant things like instant coffees, instant noodles, instant video replays and fast-foods. Because of the fast pace of work and activities, we suffer from burnout, information overload, not to mention junk food overload.

We need to rest and relax (R&R) in order to renew our strength, to recharge our battery.

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A  successful  businessman once asked the Bishop, later  Saint, Augustine for advice since he was making good in business but felt that something was missing deep down. 

The bishop replied: "You're running fast, but you're off-tracked!" Augustine was saying, “You’re working very hard and are successful but you’re overlooking one important human need, that is, your spiritual craving and your link with God.” 
Jesus said, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but suffers the loss of his soul.”

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Laugh One Another.  Priest (during homily): Mga kapatid, kasalanan ang nagse-celfon habang me misa. We must not disturb others in prayer.

Nag-ring CP ni Father. “Teka, iba ito mga kapatid. May message si Lord sa akin.”

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“What’s the difference between the two words ’complete’ and ‘finished?’” Answer: When you marry the right one, you are complete. When you marry the wrong one, you are finished.

But when the right one catches you with the wrong one, you are completely finished!

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It is said: Love is blind and lovers cannot see. Therefore, marriage is an institution for the blind.

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Support Seminarians. Our SVD seminarians of Christ the King Mission Seminary along E. Rodriguez, Q.C. are now enrolling for the new school year. Please remember how important seminarians are in the church. Without them, we cannot have ordained ministers to dispense the sacraments like the Holy Mass, baptism,  confession, and missionaries to evangelize peoples who have not yet known Christ. 

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Donate any amount or sponsor a seminarian's schooling. For inquiry, e-mail me at: [email protected].