Sino Ka Ba Talaga?

Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles June 29

First reading Acts 12:1-11

King Herod started persecuting certain members of the Church. He beheaded James the brother of John, and when he saw that this pleased the Jews he decided to arrest Peter as well. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread, and he put Peter in prison, assigning four squads of four soldiers each to guard him in turns. Herod meant to try Peter in public after the end of Passover week. All the time Peter was under guard the Church prayed to God for him unremittingly.

  On the night before Herod was to try him, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with double chains, while guards kept watch at the main entrance to the prison. Then suddenly the angel of the Lord stood there, and the cell was filled with light. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him. ‘Get up!’ he said ‘Hurry!’ – and the chains fell from his hands. The angel then said, ‘Put on your belt and sandals.’ After he had done this, the angel next said, ‘Wrap your cloak round you and follow me.’ Peter followed him, but had no idea that what the angel did was all happening in reality; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed through two guard posts one after the other, and reached the iron gate leading to the city. This opened of its own accord; they went through it and had walked the whole length of one street when suddenly the angel left him. It was only then that Peter came to himself. ‘Now I know it is all true’ he said. ‘The Lord really did send his angel and has saved me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were so certain would happen to me.’

Psalm                                                                          Psalm 33:2-9

Second reading                                                      2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18

My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone.
I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all 
there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the 
righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed 
for his Appearing.

The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be 
proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will
rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him 
be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Gospel                                                                     Matthew 16:13-19

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said ‘the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’

Reflection by Nats Vibiesca

Maglulunsad ng kumperensiya sa pagsusulat ng nobela at kuwento  na tatawaging “Biyaheng Panulat” sa mga piling unibersidad ang ilan sa mga sikat na manunulat sa Pilipinas tulad nina Ricky Lee, Jun Cruz Reyes, Eros Atalia, Manix Abrera at Bob Ong sa susunod na buwan.  Unang pupuntahan ng mga batikang manunulat ang Polytechnic University of the Philippines upang makipagbalitaktakan sa mga kapwa manunulat, guro at mag-aaral. Sa wakas makikita na rin natin si Bob Ong! Hep! Hep! ‘Wag muna magbunyi dahil ang balita ko’y boses lang ni Bob Ong ang maririnig at hindi pa rin siya magpapakita sa kumperensiya. Aww… Ang tagal na nating sinusubaybayan ang mga nobela ni Bob Ong kasabay nito ang kagustuhan nating makilala talaga ang manunulat sa likod ng mga akdang ABNKKBSNPLA, Stainless Longganisa, Alamat ng Gubat at iba pa.  Marami na ang naghanap sa tunay na katauhan ni Bob Ong. Sa katunayan, ipinakontes pa nga nila ito noon kung sino ba talaga si Bob Ong.  Ngunit mas mailap pa yata siya kay Palos at hindi pa rin siya nakikilala magpahanggang ngayon. May nagsasabi pa na marketing gimmick lang daw ni Bob Ong ang pagtatago ng kanyang sarili at baka hindi na mabili ang kanyang mga akda kung sakaling makilala na siya. Bakit ba pilit nating inaalam kung sino si Bob Ong? Gaano ba kahalaga sa buhay natin ang kanyang pagkatao? Totoong maraming tao ang nagtatago ng kanilang sarili at kung anupaman ang dahilan, madalas na naiintriga tayo sa kanila kung kaya’t  pilit inaalam ang kanilang katauhan.

Pero ano nga bang saysay kung makilala man natin sila? Hindi ba’t mas makabuluhan ngayon na kilalanin nang husto ang mga taong nagtatago sa likod ng mga korapsiyon sa ating gobyerno upang hindi na natin sila muling iboto sa susunod na halalan?  Karamihan sa atin ay nahahalina sa engganyo ng makabagong teknolohiya. Halimbawa’y nahihibang tayo sa pagkilala ng mga tao na nakikita sa Facebook o pag-follow sa Twitter ng kung sinu-sino at iba pang social media. Pilit nating sinusubaybayan ang buhay ng mga tao na hindi naman natin alam kung ano ang kinalaman nila sa ating paghihirap sa buhay. Hindi pa nga tayo nakontento at kinulong natin sila sa iisang bahay  basta’t sumunod lang sila sa utos ni Big Bro. Natatabunan tuloy ang mga isyu na direktang nakakaapekto sa ating pamumuhay tulad nga ng mga korapsiyon sa kaban ng bayan. Papaano natin palalayain ang ating bayan sa kamay ng mga gahaman kung hindi natin sila nakikilala? 

Ngunit makilala man natin sila at mawakasan na ang mga karumaldumal na gawain nila sa bayan, hindi pa rin magiging ganap ang ating buhay sa mundong ibabaw kung hindi natin makikilala ang tunay na makapagbibigay ng walang hanggang kaligayahan. Ipinahayag ni Simon Pedro sa Ebanghelyo kung sino ito na ating hinahanap.  Nananampalataya tayo na si Jesus ang magsasalba sa atin sa panahon ng kahirapan ng ating katawan at kaluluwa.  Ngunit baka matulad tayo sa mga disipulong nangapa sa pagkakakilala kay Jesus kung hindi natin tatanggapin ang handog ng Diyos Ama.  Dahil sa labis na pagmamahal ni Simon Pedro kay Jesus, tinanggap niya ang handog ng Diyos Ama. Ito ang handog na liwanag at malalim na pagkakakilala kay Jesus—ang ating Mesiyas, ang Anak ng Buhay nating Diyos. Handog ito hindi lang kay Simon Pedro kundi para sa ating lahat upang sundan si Jesus at mahalin natin nang lubos.

Prayer

Diyos Ama namin, batid Mo na gusto naming makilala nang lubos si Jesus, ipagkaloob Mo po  ito upang patuloy namin Siyang mahalin at paglingkuran.  Amen.