Paghahanda sa Kaharian ng Diyos

Ika-28 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

11 Oktubre 2026

Unang Pagbasa: Isaias 25, 6-10a

Salmong Tugunan: Salmo 22, 1-3a. 3b-4. 5, 6

Ikalawang Pagbasa: Filipos 4, 12-14. 19-20

Mabuting Balita: Mateo 22, 1-14

 

Pagninilay

Ni: Renato C. Vibiesca

Sa susunod na buwan ay dadalo kami ng aking misis sa isang kasalan sa Baguio upang maging isa sa mga ninong at ninang. Enero pa lang ay naimbitahan na kami kaya’t halos sampung buwan na kaming naghahanda para sa kasalang ito. Ang ilan sa pinaghahandaan namin ay ang pansamantalang tutuluyan namin, ang budget na gagatusin para sa transportasyon, ang aming tutuluyan at destinasyon sa pamamasyal pagkatapos ng piging. Mabusisi rin ang paghahanda namin sa mga isusuot tulad ng kulay ng aming damit na kailangang akma sa ibinigay na tema ng ikakasal. Inaasahan din naming mas malamig na rin ang klima sa Baguio dahil sa paglakas ng hanging amihan kaya’t kasama rin ito sa paghahanda ng iba pang kasuotan. Tulad sa talinghaga ng ating Panginoong Hesus, kung tayo ay tumugon sa paanyaya ng hari, marapat lamang na paghandaan ito nang mabuti upang maging angkop ang kasuotan sa piging ng kasal. Sa pakahulugan ng ating simbahan, ang piging ay paanyaya sa kaligtasan sa lahat, walang pinipili ang ating Panginoon sa mga iimbitahan dahil nga ang kasal ay larawan ng Kaharian ng Diyos. Siguradong maraming imbitadong mga banal at kahangan-hanga ang buhay ng mga taong pinili mismo ng Diyos upang makasalo sa piging at mayroon ding mga kilala o mga sikat na personalidad na inanyayahan. Subalit hindi naman lahat ay tumutugon sa paanyaya dahil siguro’y nasilaw na sa kaharian ng mundo ang karamihan at marahil ay nagbibingi-bingihan na lamang sa pagtawag sa kanila. Sa walang-hanggang kabutihan at awa ng Diyos ay kahit paulit-ulit pa tayong tumanggi ay hindi Siya nagsasawa na paulit-ulit din tayong iniimbitahan sa Kanyang Kaharian.

Ang nakapagtataka talaga ay kahit pa tayong mga walang pangalan sa lipunan o mga makasalanang tunay na lagi na lamang nadadapa sa kasalanan sa mundo ay patuloy ding iniimbitahan ng Panginoon sa Kanyang Kaharian. Kaya nga dapat na ipagpasalamat talaga na tayong lahat ay iniimbita ng Diyos sa Kanyang Kaharian sa langit kahit pa hindi naman tayo karapat-dapat. Ang paghahanda ng ating pananamit naman sa pagdalo sa kasalan ay ang ating pagsisikap na maging mabuting Kristiyano. Ang isa sa paghahanda sa piging ay ang malimit na pagtanggap natin ng mga sakramento ng ating simbahan. Tila magarbong damit na akma sa kasalan ang pagsasabuhay ng mga sakramento para sa mga grasyang dulot ng pakikipagkaisa kay Hesus. Tulad ng sakramento ng pangungumpisal na nagpapalinis ng ating kaluluwa at nagpapaputi ng ating kasuotan para sa dadaluhang piging. Higit na magpapakinang sa ating kalooban ang malimit na pagtanggap sa ating Panginoong Hesus sa sakramento ng Eukaristiya sa banal na Misa. Hindi ba’t napakalaking biyaya ng ating Panginoong Hesus para sa ating lahat na Siya na nga mismo ang nagbigay sa atin ng mga biyaya ng kabanalan para sa paghahanda sa piging sa pamamagitan ng mga iniwan Niyang Sakramento? Ang simula ng hamon sa atin bago pa nga ang paghahanda ng lahat ng kasuotan ay ang pagtugon sa Kanyang paanyaya. Kung naging pusong bato na tayo, nalunod na sa kasakiman ng kayamanan sa mundo, nabaliw na sa pagyakap sa kasalanan, at napagkakamalan nating hindi na tayo makakaahon pa sa putikan, lagi lang nating isipin na ang paanyaya ng Diyos sa atin ay walang hanggang awa at pagpapatawad. Kung parang ang lahat ay madilim na sa ating buhay, kung halos iniwan na tayo ng lahat at wala na tayong malapitan, kung nasadlak na tayo sa mapapait na karanasan at kabiguan, ang pagmamahal ng Diyos sa atin ay nananatili, kailanma’y hinding-hindi tayo bibiguin ng ating Panginoon. Muli nating tugunan ang patuloy na pag-anyaya sa piging ng Kanyang Kaharian at doon sa banal na pagsasalo ay yakapin natin nang mahigpit ang ating mapagmahal na Diyos. Amen.

 

Panalangin

Panginoong Hesus, pasasalamat at papuri ang aming dalangin para sa walang hanggang pagmamahal mo sa amin dahil sa patuloy na pag-anyaya sa amin sa iyong Kaharian kahit pa hindi kami naging karapat-dapat. Kami po ay mapagpakumbabang tumutugon sa Inyong paanyaya at pahintulutang kaming makapaghanda para sa pakikipagkaisa sa aming Panginoong Hesus. Amen

At the Table of the Humble

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

31 August 2025

 

First Reading: Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11

Second Reading: Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a

Gospel: Luke 14:1, 7-14

 

Reflection By:

Bro. Carlo Alexis Malaluan

Diocese of Imus

 

In Filipino culture, there’s something sacred about a "handaan" —a feast, a gathering. Whether it’s a wedding, a town fiesta, a graduation, or even a simple birthday, meals are never just about food. They’re about relationship. To be invited is to be noticed, remembered, counted. To be welcomed and given a place at the table is to feel that your presence matters. There is a beautiful Filipino word for this, "Kumbida" from Spanish, "Con vida", pointing out that it is not simply meals that we share but life.

We all know that feeling when we’re treated with special regard at a gathering—when someone sets aside a seat for us, serves us first, or even calls us by name with affection. And perhaps, just as deeply, we also know the sting of being left out, of not being invited, of being placed on the margins — literally and figuratively.

So when Jesus speaks in today’s Gospel about a wedding banquet, we understand what’s at stake. He watches as guests choose the best seats for themselves — the places of honor. And He offers a gentle yet piercing parable: “When you are invited, go and take the lowest place… For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

At first, it might seem like a lesson in social etiquette. But Jesus isn’t teaching manner. He’s teaching the posture of the Kingdom. In a world where we often measure worth by status, recognition, or visibility, Jesus reminds us that at His table, the most honored are those who do not demand honor. The most welcome are those who do not compete for space, but create it for others.

He then turns to the one hosting the meal and says: “When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.” It’s a reversal. The usual logic—of inviting those who can repay us—is dismantled. Jesus invites us into a deeper way of relating: one that does not seek return, but gives for the sake of love.

This is challenging. Because so often, even unconsciously, we carry with us a desire to be seen, to be acknowledged, to be rewarded. Even in our acts of kindness or service, we might quietly hope for a thank-you, a seat of honor, or at least a sense of recognition. But the Gospel invites us to a purer kind of generosity—one that mirrors God's: generous without conditions, welcoming without counting.

And perhaps that’s what Jesus wants us to see: that the true banquet of the Kingdom isn’t about where you sit, but how you love. It’s not about being important in the eyes of others, but being small enough to make room for someone else.

In our Filipino gatherings, we know how it feels to be part of the celebration, and how deeply human the longing is to belong. But Jesus teaches us that the deepest belonging comes not from being treated as special, but from treating others—especially the overlooked—as beloved.

So today, we might ask ourselves: In the gatherings of my life—at home, in community, at work—do I seek the place of honor, or do I create space for others to feel honored? Do I give only where I expect return, or am I learning to love quietly, freely, like the Host who invites all?

Because in the end, the truest feast is not the one where we are celebrated, but the one where we make others feel they have a place at the table.

Prayer

A Limited Time Offer

    

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

15 October 2023

 

First Reading: Is 25:6-10a

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

Second Reading: Phil 4:12-14, 19-20

Gospel: Mt 22:1-14

 

Reflection

By: Anton Ocampo

 

As someone who has lived in Canada for the majority of his life, I would often see some commercials of promos, whether it be fast food restaurants, banks, cars, or plane ticket sales, which would end with the voiceover saying something along the lines of “Hurry, this offer is for a limited time only.” These commercials invite viewers to purchase any product that is being sold. However, they must make a very quick decision because the offer will end some time soon. In fact, there is absolutely no guarantee that a similar type of offer will be available in the coming months or even the years to follow. Yes, television in the Philippines may also have these types of commercials, but most of the commercials that come to mind came from the many Canadian television stations. 

The theme of the readings for this Sunday’s Eucharistic celebration is stated in the Responsorial Psalm: “I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life” (Psalm 23:6cd). These words highlight the opportunity God gives us everyday. Each day of our lives here on earth, we are given an opportunity to choose Him so that we may be able to be with Him and dine with Him in the eternal banquet in His heavenly kingdom, just like what is being stated in the First Reading and the parable narrated by Christ in the Gospel. 

One important detail that must be given attention to and taken note of is the last part of the longer version of the Gospel for this Sunday where Jesus narratate that the king punished a man who was not dressed in a wedding garment by having him sent out by the guards and casted out into the darkness (Matthew 22:11-13). What does this last part of the longer version of the Gospel teach us? Every opportunity that the Lord gives us to choose Him needs to be valued. Yes, the Lord will continue to give us numerous opportunities to choose Him by choosing to live holy lives, but we must value each and every one in preparation for eternal life with Him in His presence forever in heaven where He has prepared a feast for all of us. Just like what was said in the First Reading, the banquet of the Lord in heaven is open to all. The Lord God continues to give us many chances to choose eternal life with Him in the heavenly banquet for as long as we live in this earth. However, we must not waste these opportunities because we will not live here on earth forever. Our lives may seem to be long, but we must remember, there will come a time when we must leave this earth and move on to the next life. We will not find eternal life on earth because the life here on earth is limited, short, and temporary. 

In a way, the opportunities God gives us to choose Him and the path of holiness so that we will be able to join Him and dine with Him forever in the eternal banquet in His eternal heavenly kingdom are limited time offers. Yes, He does for us daily for as long as we live here on earth, but, given the fact that our lives here on earth are not eternal but temporary, the opportunities God gives us are limited time offers. 

How must we respond to these limited time offers given to us by God? The example that Saint Paul the Apostle exhibits in the Second Reading is something we must follow. In the Second Reading, we hear the famous words of Saint Paul the Apostle “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). We hear these words being quoted by many people, but many people tend to forget the context of these words. Saint Paul the Apostle, when he wrote these words, was referring to the numerous struggles he faced in his mission as apostle and missionary to the Gentiles. If we were to make educated guesses on what should have happened to him, without knowing what already happened, there was absolutely no way we would think Saint Paul the Apostle would or should have been able to withstand and conquer these challenges and hardships in life. However, he was able to do so because he became open to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Now, how would the example of Saint Paul the Apostle in the Second Reading apply to us in the modern age? Choose holiness. By choosing holiness, we choose the Lord God wholeheartedly. It is in choosing to walk the path of holiness that we open ourselves to Him wholeheartedly. We allow the grace of the Lord God to move us and see how wonderful the opportunity to be with Him forever in the heavenly banquet truly is. Through this, we accept the limited offers God continues to give us each day of our temporary lives here on earth. 

We are reminded this Sunday that our lives here on earth are temporary. No matter how many times God gives us opportunities to choose eternal life with Him in His eternal kingdom in heaven, the opportunities God gives us are limited time offers. Thus, we must think carefully and value each opportunity the Lord God gives us to choose Him and eternity with Him in His heavenly kingdom.  

Prayer

Lord, as we continue to live our lives here on earth, You continue to give us multiple opportunities to accept this limited time offer of eternity with You in Your heavenly kingdom. Help us recognize the value of Your offer to be with You forever in heaven and may we be open to Your grace, love, and mercy so that we may be able to offer You our wholehearted “Yes” as our response to Your invitation. Amen.

Taking Part in the Banquet

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2 August 2020
First reading Isaiah 55:1-3

Thus says the Lord:
All you who are thirsty, come to the water!
You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat;
Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk!
Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy?
Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me and listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant,
the benefits assured to David.

Second reading                                                          Romans 8:35-39

Brothers and sisters:
What will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?
No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly
through him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor present things, nor future things,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gospel                                                                          Matthew 14:13-21

When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.

When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves. ” Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves. ” But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here. ” Then he said, “Bring them here to me, ” and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.

Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over — twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.

Reflection

By Bernard M. Borja

Do you remember the last time you dined at an all-you-can-eat buffet? So many food cooked in different varieties and served to fully satisfy your hunger. It’s even better if you were invited to take part in a celebration which is free of charge. Much better if your loved ones are dining with you in such festivity. Sometimes, you tend to get a little of each so that you can taste almost all of the food being served. But after being full and satisfied, still there are more food ready to be served for more guests.

Somehow, a buffet restaurant can give us a glimpse of how abundant God’s banquet is. Overflowing food, joyful celebrations, bottomless drinks, and diners are treated as special guests. But God’s banquet is far beyond these things that can only satisfy our human desires. Our hunger and thirst drives us to seek for things that will satisfy us. Even more when we need to provide for our loved ones. We do everything that we can to put food on the table. But there are times that earthly food is not enough to nourish us. We also need the nourishment for our soul through Christ that will not only satisfy our human hunger, but also our deepest desires.

In our readings today, God reminds us four things - 1. An invitation to His abundant feast, 2.

Such a feast that will satisfy all our hunger and deepest desires, 3. That nothing can ever

abandon us from being invited by God, and 4. To share the graces to others as a response to God’s invitation. But as I reflect on these, questions arise in my heart as my hunger and thirst go deeper.

My wife and I miss dining out with our loved ones. More so, we miss being invited, and being able to come, to celebrate special occasions with our families and friends. It has been more than six months since we were able to visit and share a meal with them. Like our longing to share joyfully with our loved ones, the hunger and thirst has deepened especially to respond to God’s invitation to celebrate with Him through the Holy Eucharist. We constantly participate in online Masses from different parishes for spiritual nourishment but I feel this is not enough. This made me ask constantly, “How can people be nourished well in these times? How can people respond to God’s invitation in the midst of this pandemic? How can we receive again these graces that we long for?”.

Many people today are struggling to believe and trust God. I remember a news story about a governor in a foreign country, who is an atheist, said that he did everything that he could to slow the spread of the virus. As some people praised God, this governor said that he was the one who did it, not God. I watched this news on social media and I came across a comment saying, “Praise God for He uses everyone as an instrument of His love. Even the non-believers.” This made me realize something about my perception of God’s invitation.

Maybe I’m forgetting that when Jesus saw the vast crowd, His heart was moved with pity. Maybe I’m forgetting what Jesus said to His disciples when they became concerned about the people’s food. Jesus said, “Give them some food yourselves.” And maybe I did not realize that Jesus broke the loaves first, gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowd. This pandemic continues to reveal to us our deepest longing and desires. But most of the time, we become too focused on ourselves. In our desire for survival, we have forgotten how we are invited to have compassion for others, to offer whatever we have, and to be ready to receive the multiplied graces and share it to the hungry. Today, people are not just hungry for earthly food, but they are also starving for peace. Jesus invites us to offer our selfish desires and let Him transform these into the grace that we seek. May it be the grace of an open heart to acknowledge and receive His inseparable love for us, or the grace of His peace to calm us and help us continue to trust in Him. I believe that in responding to Jesus’ invitation to share whatever graces that we have received, our deepest hunger and thirst are being satisfied. For this is what it really means to take part in the abundant banquet of God, which has more than enough for all to be nourished.

Prayer

Dear Jesus,

We thank You for journeying with us during these difficult times when our hunger only

goes deeper everyday. As we offer our desire to take part in Your banquet, we also offer our

fears especially in this time of uncertainty. We pray for the grace of an open heart to receive the same peace that You gave to the disciples. So that we may be able to respond to Your invitation to offer what we have, and share the multiplied graces to those who are in most need of Your mercy and compassion.  Amen.