18 Then the LORD God said , “ It is not good that the man should be alone ; I will make him a helper fit for [ a ] him .”

21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man , and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh . 22 And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made [ d ] into a woman and brought her to the man . 23 Then the man said , “ This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh ; she shall be called Woman , because she was taken out of Man .”[ e ] 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife , and they shall become one flesh . 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed . Genesis 2 : 18 , 22-25 ESV

Pastor Talbot was talking about marriage between a man and a woman ; not a man to a man , or a woman to , but between a man and a woman . Otherwise , God could not say in Genesis 1 : 28 , 28 And God blessed them . And God said to them , “ Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it , and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every

living thing that moves on the earth .” Let Pastor Talbot continue . “ I think it is extremely important and

Revealing that the Hebrew word for “ one ” in this verse is the same word used in the “ Shema ” when describing the “ oneness ” of God : “ “ Hear , O Israel ! The Lord is our God , the Lord is one !” Deut . 6 : 4 )

The Shema , ( Hebrew word for hear ) found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 , is the Jewish confession of faith and is recited daily . God is one

God existing in community as a man and a woman are one flesh . Perhaps now humankind would understand God ’ s selfless love for them a little bit better .

What would you do for your child ? Let me tell you what my parents did for me .

“ Suffering is hard enough . But when in addition to suffering you also feel alone , it is easy to fall into hopelessness . I remember a particular Christmas , many , many years ago . It was a difficult and lonely season in my life . This was a dark , cold loneliness , a time of helplessness and of unspeakable pain . It was a time of mourning , the type that takes a long time to process , because dreams

die slowly and painfully . It wasn ’ t helping that this was the holiday season , a time of family togetherness and celebration . Deep inside , in my soul , in the sacred place where no one is allowed to enter , I was feeling ALONE , terribly ALONE ! My parents , who had always been very supporting and loving , lived in the East coast of the United States , while I lived in the other coast , in California . Neither my parents nor I had enough money to visit the other for Christmas that year . So they had planned to spend it in Maryland and I would be alone with only my thoughts and questions for company .

“ But then something incredible happened ! I received good news , something that I couldn ’ t have possibly imagined !

An airline decided to advertise a very inexpensive special fare just for Christmas . However , the promotion came with a very specific restriction . The trip both ways had to be completed within a window of 48 hours , on December 24 and 25 . I understood that that a one-day visit would make sense for anyone who lived within an hour or two of their loved ones . But who would cross the whole country , flying six hours each

way in less than 48 hours ? Well …. MY PARENTS DID ! They called me to announce excitedly that both of them were coming to spend Christmas together with me ! They would arrive on December 24 and leave the following evening . WOW ! I can ’ t even describe how I felt ! How could anyone love me that much and come all this distance just to let me know that I I was NOT alone ? I will never forget that Christmas . I remember every detail about it I was not alone after all … someone loved me and cared for me deeply . Sometimes love and suffering require extraordinary and unexpected measures . God would demonstrate His love for us in a most surprising manner …” THE END

For prayer , questions and Bible study , call Ben at 604-581-1278 , Junjun at 778-927-8040 , Stanley at 604-700-3053 and Pastor Leomar Macaraig at 604-928-3579 . You are invited to study the Bible with us every Friday night at 9495- 132 St . Surrey , and worship with us every Sabbath ( Saturday ) at the Abundant Life Seventh-day Adventist Church at 13062-104 Avenue , Surrey . Welcome .

The story is told about a man who lacked peace and joy in his heart because of his inability to love everyone . “ Lord , should I love even those who are hypocrites , proud , insincere , and abusive ?” he asked . The Lord replied : “ Just love everyone now . I ’ ll sort them out later .”

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday . The source of true peace and joy is the humble acknowledgment and acceptance of God ’ s constant and immeasurable mercy , and our effort to extend it to others as well . As we have been forgiven much , may we do the same to others . Let us be grateful for God ’ s love , and let us also be generous with God ’ s love .

In today ’ s Gospel ( Jn . 20 : 19-31 ), the Risen Lord greets His fear-laden and guilt-ridden disciples with “ Peace be with you .” It was a greeting of acceptance and assurance that all was forgiven , and that it was time to move on and get going with their mission .

Fear , guilt and doubt can make us stop or make our journey to God ’ s heart difficult . We have to let go of this baggage involving humility and trust , and just keep on believing that we are loved no matter what . Like Thomas , may we say and keep saying , “ My Lord , and my God .”

I led many recollection sessions

this Lenten season , particularly last Holy Week . The most powerful message is the message of John 3:16 : “ For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son …” It is a message worth repeating and retelling . It was , and still is , the greatest story ever told .

During the Holy Week I had no chance for any personal recollection , but I had the most touching and powerful ones when I heard the confessions of my brother priests . It was a humbling experience , a reminder of who I am , what I was , and what I can still be because of God ’ s tremendous grace and mercy . We all are sinners , but God is merciful and gracious .

On Easter Sunday I had the privilege of meeting a “ giant ” in the person of Edgardo Sindico on the occasion of his 95th birthday , during which I officiated at a Mass . He is physically and mentally strong , and he has behind him many achievements as a lawyer and government official , but more so as a loving husband , father and grandfather . But what touched me most was seeing him kneel on the floor after he received Holy Communion . A humble giant , a gentle giant who knows how to kneel

before God .

Another classmate has gone home to meet the Risen Lord . Fr . Rodrigo Advincula , SVD , had a late vocation ; he joined us in the novitiate after serving as a public school teacher in Palawan . We called him “ Tatang .” But because of his spirit of peace and joy , he remained young at heart , and looked amazingly young at 75 !

Many people from all walks of life were recipients of Father Rod ’ s kindness and generosity during the years of his ministry in foreign missions like Argentina and Colombia , and in various local parishes . Before his demise , he was chaplain of La Salle Greenhills High School , where he served as an inspiration to and blended with the youth .

I had the chance to bless and pray over Father Rod at the intensive care unit of the Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital . It was a privilege to accompany a confrere to the doorsteps of eternity , where we , too , will be standing someday . Until we meet again , Father Rod , in that kingdom of sustained peace and joy .

Think about this : “ Life is like a notebook . Two pages are already written by God . The first page is birth , and the last page is death . In

between the first and the last page , the notebook is empty , to be filled up by us with kindness , humility and faith in God .”

The secret of a peaceful life is found in the first line of our Blessed Mother ’ s “ Magnificat ”: “ My soul magnifies the Lord , and my spirit rejoices in God , my Savior .” Let us magnify — i . e ., glorify — the Lord , and not ourselves , not our problems , not our sins , not our power and possessions . In the same way , let us rejoice — i . e ., be happy and find joy — in God , and not in ourselves , not in our problems , not in our sins and vices , not in our power and possessions . Peace is when we acknowledge that God is greater than us , and when God becomes our true joy . A moment with the Lord : Lord , in You alone can we find our true peace and joy . Amen . ( inq . net )