Dakilang Pag-ibig

 “ Never cease loving a person, and never give up hope for him, for even the prodigal son who had fallen most low, could still be saved; the bitterest enemy and also he who was your friend could again be your friend; love that has grown cold can kindle. “ Soren Kierkegaard

First Reading: Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14

And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down; for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them; they have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, `These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!'" And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people; now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; but of you I will make a great nation."

         

But Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, "O LORD, why does thy wrath burn hot against thy people, whom thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou didst swear by thine own self, and didst say to them, `I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it for ever.'" And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people.

Psalm: Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19

Second Reading: 1 Timothy 1:12-17

I thank him who has given me strength for this, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful by appointing me to his service, though I formerly blasphemed and persecuted and insulted him; but I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the foremost of sinners; but I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Gospel: Luke 15:1-32 or 15:1-10

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." So he told them this parable: "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.' Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?

         

And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, `Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.' Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents." And he said, "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, `Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want.

So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, `How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants."'

And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, `Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry. "Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

 

Pagninilay-nilay

Kung ang iyong nagkasalang asawa o matalik na kaibigan o kapatid, ay muling nagbalik loob at humingi ng tawad, kaya mo bang patawarin, tanggapin at ibigin syang muli? Kung si Janet Napoles ba ay umamim sa kaniyan kasalanan, mapapatawad at tatanggapin mo pa sya?

Napakaganda ng homiliya ngayong Linggo. Dito ipinamalas  ng Diyos ang Kaniyang labis na pagmamahal sa atin. Makita lamang Niya na tayo aye nagsisi na sa ating kasalanan at muling nagbabalik loob sa Kaniya, buong puso Niya tayong tinatanggap. Ano mang bigat ng ating kasalanan, lahat ito ay kaya Niyang patawarin. Ang Diyos ay lubos na nagagalak sa ating pagbabalik dahil tayo ay mahalaga sa Kaniya. Naipamalas lahat ito sa tatlong parabula na nabanggit sa ebanghelyo ngayon, “Ang Nawawalang Tupa”, “Ang Nawawalang Pilak” at  “Ang Parabula ng Alibughang Anak.”

Hindi tayo Diyos, ngunit tayo ay nilikha sa imahe Niya. Ikaw at ako ay dapat ipamalas ang pagpapatawad at pagtanggap sa ating mga kapatid na nagkasala. Kung ako ay iyong tatanungin, napakihirap nitong gawin lalo na kung sinaktan ka ng taong nagkasala sa iyo. Umiiral sa atin ang “pride”, sariling prinsipyo, pagkamuhi na minsan sa mata ng tao ay tama lamang. Mahirap mahalin at tanggapin ang may sala pero ito ang nararapat at ito ang hamon sa ating lahat. Marami na din akong naranasang ganito at napagtagumapayan ko lang sa pamamagitan ng presensiya ng Diyos. Binigyan Niya ako ng lakas na maging mapagkumbaba at makita kung ano ang tama. Hinayaan ng Diyos na mailagay ko ang sarili ko sa taong nagkasala sa akin. Kung ako ba ay nagkasala, ano ang mararamdaman ko kapag pinatawad ako at tinanggap muli?

Sa ating paligid ngayon katulad ng “Janet Napoles issue”, di mawawala na maisama natin siya sa ating pagninilay. Kapag napapanood natin sa telebisyon o nababasa sa diyaryo ang bilyong pera na ginamit at ninakaw, nagpasasa sa yaman, may ilang magagarang kotse o bahay sa ibat ibang panig ng daigdig, di mo maiiwasan na magalit sa kaniya. Marami tayong mahihirap na mamamayan. Sana man lamang ay nagamit ang pera para sa kanila at hindi naibulsa na ilang tao lamang. Kung siya ay umamin at nagsisi sa kaniyang ginawa, mapapatawad ba natin siya? Tatanggapin ba natin siya? Maaaring wala tayong maisagot sa ngayon, ngunit aking idinadalangin na sa pamamagitan ng grasiya ng Diyos ay gawin natin ang nararapat.

Panalangin:

Tunay at dakila ang Iyong pagibig o Panginoong Diyos. Patuloy mo kaming tinatanggap at minamahal, kahit alam Mo na kami ay makasalanan at madalas pa ngang paulit-ulit na nagkakasala. Gaano mang kabigat o kalaki ng aming mga sala kami ay hinahanap at sinusuyo Mo pa din. Salamat Panginoon, salamat. Patawarin Mo po kami sa aming mga sala. Humihingi din po kami ng gabay, na sana tulad Mo, matuto din po kaming tanggapin ang mga taong nagkasala sa amin. Biyayaan Mo kami ng isang pusong mapagmahal na kayang tunawin ang lahat ng sakit na nadama dahilan sa mga pagkakasala ng iba sa amin. Bigyan Mo kami ng pusong mapagpatawad at mapagmahal upang lubos naming matanggap ang mga nagkasala ng walang pag-iimbot tulad mo. Di po ito madali Lord, pero alam namin na mapagtatagumpayan namin ito sa pamamagitan Mo. Amen.