It has been 24 years since my father passed away and up to now I still remember his teachings:

• Save for the future
• Live a simple life
• Any work that is honest and helps people is good work
• Help those who have less in life.

On the other hand, my mom passed away 9 years ago and I still remember her teachings as well:

• Be yourself. If people accept you, they are your true friends
• Value relationships
• Importance of prayer and faith
• Travel when you still can

Up to this point in my life, these are things that complemented my life and ministry. I love them and their words are very important to me. 

Talk about love and teachings, talk about love and commandments, in the Gospel Jesus reminds his disciples and us that if we love God and if we love Jesus we are to keep his commandments so that we will remain in his love. 

• First. We are always loved by God. We remember the words in the bible, “God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten son.” We do not have an angry God, we do not have a god who is like an absentee landlord, we have a God who loves and therefore tells us what to do. 
  
• Second. The Best way to show our love for God is to follow his commandments. There is a saying that Filipino Catholics are sacramentalized and but not evangelized. We are present in all fiestas, novenas, processions, and masses yet how do we live out love of God and love of neighbor? Why are we a country that claims to be catholic but yet so corrupt? What happened to the commandment, “You shall not steal?” 
  
• Third. If we follow God’s commandment we will have joy. God is the author of life, hence His words are instructions for life. If we follow the words of God we will find Joy and Peace knowing that God can trusted. 

In today’s Mass, we pray that we may continue to be guided by the Words of God, the bible, the teachings of the Church. Even in the world that is so confused with what is right and what is wrong, we continue to have joy because we know God loves us.