Magnify

 Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

15 August 2021 

 

First Reading: RV 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab

Responsorial Psalm: PS 45:10, 11, 12 16

Second Reading: 1 COR 15:20-7

Gospel: LK 1:39-56

 

Reflection

By: Gary Tulabut

 

Last month, our worship team at the Light of Jesus (LOJ) Pampanga was invited to represent the whole LOJ North and Central Luzon for a live worship concert organized by the LOJ Provincial. We were one of only two bands who will be leading worship live at the venue. The rest had their worship songs pre-recorded.

Despite all my issues in singing (timing and memorizing lyrics which I attribute to karaoke singing, hehe), I was selected to be the only male among four vocalists.

Because of those issues, I could easily say no to the one who chose me. But how could I? For just a month earlier, in one business boot camp activity, we were asked to make a dream board. And in the "spiritual" part of my dream board, I pasted a photo of me leading worship.

So, I accepted with the hope and prayer that with ample practice, I would be able to overcome those issues. And yes, after two weeks of practice, I was ready to be the lead vocalist for one of the songs.

But on the night before the band travelled to the venue in Bulacan, I found out that someone I had contact with was experiencing CoVid symptoms. I decided that night that I will not go with the band. Anyway, one very good singer from another province will be there to substitute me. He did not need to practice anyway.

Thank God, the one with symptoms, who I had contact with, and I were not infected, the worship concert went well, and our band was amazing leading in worshipping God.

A few days after the event, while I as telling the story to another group, I used the word "perform" instead of "lead worship".

I paused for a while and thought, "Maybe that is why I wasn't able to join them." I normally watch my motives in service and even ask the Lord to purify them. Maybe this time I failed. That in my subconscious, I was still thinking the whole thing as a performance instead of a service leading people to worship God.

I love the song I was assigned to lead. And I was confident that I could render it very well after that two-week practice. Maybe, subconsciously, I was already imagining how I would be praised in Facebook and Instagram with all those likes, hearts, and shares.

In our Gospel for this Sunday, Elizabeth praised her cousin, Mama Mary, for being blessed by carrying the Lord in her womb. Immediately, Mama Mary sent her praises to God through what we know as the Magnificat.

May every praise we receive for our success, blessings, talents, and good deeds be diverted to God.

May our goal in service be to glorify God rather than ourselves.

And may everything we do bear fruits that magnify the Lord!

 

Prayer

 

Mama Mary, pray for us.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

Hallelujah, Christ is Born!

Nativity Of Our Lord

(Christmas)

25 December 2020

First Reading IS 52:7-10

How beautiful upon the mountains

are the feet of him who brings glad tidings,

announcing peace, bearing good news,

announcing salvation, and saying to Zion,

"Your God is King!"

 

Hark! Your sentinels raise a cry,

together they shout for joy,

for they see directly, before their eyes,

the LORD restoring Zion.

Break out together in a song,

O ruins of Jerusalem.

The LORD has bared his holy arm

in the sight of all the nations;

all the ends of the earth will behold

the salvation of our God.

 

Second Reading HEB 1:1-6

 

Brothers and sisters:

In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways

to our ancestors through the prophets;

in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son,

whom he made heir of all things

and through whom he created the universe,

who is the refulgence of his glory,

the very imprint of his being,

and who sustains all things by his mighty word.

When he had accomplished purification from sins,

he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

as far superior to the angels

as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

For to which of the angels did God ever say:

You are my  son; this day I have begotten you?

Or again:

I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me?

And again, when he leads the firstborn into the world, he says: 

Let all the angels of God worship him.

 

Gospel JN 1:1-18

 

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things came to be through him,

and without him nothing came to be.

What came to be through him was life,

and this life was the light of the human race;

the light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness has not overcome it.

A man named John was sent from God.

He came for testimony, to testify to the light,

so that all might believe through him.

He was not the light,

but came to testify to the light.

The true light, which enlightens everyone,

was coming into the world.

He was in the world,

and the world came to be through him,

but the world did not know him.

He came to what was his own

but his own people did not accept him.

 

But to those who did not accept him

he gave power to become children of God,

to those who believe in his name,

who were born not by natural generation

nor by human choice nor by a man's decision

but of God.

And the Word became flesh

and made his dwelling among us,

and we saw his glory,

the glory as of the Father's only Son,

full of grace and truth.

John testified to him and cried out, saying,

"This was he of whom I said,

'The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me

because he existed before me.'"

From his fullness we have all received,

grace in place of grace,

because while the law was given through Moses,

grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God.

The only Son, God, who is at the Father's side,

has revealed him.

 

Reflection

By: Anabelle Payod-Balla

 

As I was writing this reflection, I wonder how Christmas would be celebrated this year. Will we have the same busy schedules? Will we have better celebration given the social distancing limitations? How can we have a meaningful Christmas celebration amidst the current situation?

Today, is Christmas day. How are you celebrating it so far? I bet most of us are having a wonderful time. Filipinos are known to be ingenious when it comes to be celebrations despite the limitations.

If you have not done it yet, please find a quiet time to greet and give thanks to Jesus today. He is after all, the birthday celebrant, the reason for the season.

Today is the best day to renew our faith in Him. Let us recognize and accept Him as our Lord and Savior. Let us rejoice to be reborn in our heart's today and everyday of our lives!

 

And may we all receive the gifts of peace, love, hope, and joy from Jesus Himself. I believe He got us covered for His birthday treats.

Merry Christmas!

   

Prayer

 

Father, thank You for allowing Your Word to become flesh and dwell among us. Thank You for giving us Jesus. Thank You for giving us Christmas to celebrate! We praise and exalt You in Jesus name, Amen.

Can You Listen?

“ From the shining cloud the Father's voice is heard: This is my beloved Son, listen to him.”

First Reading: Genesis 22:1-2, 9A, 10-13, 15-18

God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” he replied. Then God said: “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love,  and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust  on a height that I will point out to you.”

When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the LORD’s messenger called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. “Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger. “Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.” As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son.

Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said: “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing—all this because you obeyed my command.”

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19

Second Reading: Romans 8:31B-34

Brothers and sisters:

If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?

Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who acquits us, who will condemn? Christ Jesus it is who died—or, rather, was raised— who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

Gospel: Mark 9:2-10

Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured: his clothes became dazzlingly white, whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter spoke to Jesus: ‘Rabbi,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say; they were so frightened. And a cloud came, covering them in shadow; and there came a voice from the cloud, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’ Then suddenly, when they looked round, they saw no one with them any more but only Jesus.


  As they came down from the mountain he warned them to tell no one what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They observed the warning faithfully, though among themselves they discussed what ‘rising from the dead’ could mean.

Reflection
By Fidji Rivera-Sarmiento

"This is my beloved Son. LISTEN to Him.”

Hearing and listening are two different things. While hearing is passive, which merely deals with our auditory system capturing sounds around us, listening is active. It requires focus and understanding of the stimulus. It is a skill that we must develop for better communication.

But how do we listen when there is clearly no sound?

Let’s do an exercise. Sit alone comfortably. Relax. Inhale. Exhale. Close your eyes. Stay quiet and try to listen to the sounds around you. Isolate each sound. Try to identify the sound without looking. Try to locate where the sound is coming from? Did you hear someone talking to you? Ala-Moses or Abraham? Kid me not. Chances are you are listening to the voices in your head. That’s not the Lord talking to you.  And surely if you keep on hearing so many voices compelling you to do odd things, it’s time to seek for professional help.

So how do we actually “listen” to God?

During my master’s, I was privileged to watch a dance presentation by deaf high school students. All of them had totally no hearing since birth. They did a hip-hop number, and it was not just a synchronized group dance! They were a legit dance crew! Each had their turns, moving and shaking like they were abled listeners. Much to my amazement, I asked them through their teacher how they listen to the music. Some said they listen through their eyes. Most of them, they said they listen through the vibrations on the floor. One commented that he listens through his heartbeat. This proved only one thing. Listening is not only through the ears.

Thus when we listen to God speaking to us, we don’t only literally listen to the Word being proclaimed every Sunday, or during prayer meetings. We want to be consciously sensitive to the happenstances around us, and to examine the situations in faith. We must constantly ask the Lord, “What are You trying to tell me?” That is where the Holy Spirit comes in. That is why we pray for the Paraclete to inundate our minds so we may hear and devour the Good News of salvation.

As the transfiguration of Jesus is being proclaimed today, may we give Jesus the extra time to talk to us. As He consistently listens to our grievances and wishes, so are we task to listen to Him through the quietness of the Blessed Sacrament; through the advices of our parents; through the laughter of our children; through the social happenings around us; through the nature and their different phenomena. We don’t want to be deaf to the cries of the poor. We don’t want to be deaf to the whimpers of a misbehaving student. We don’t want to be deaf to the Lord’s message through the struggles that we tackle each day.

So before we open our mouths, before we act on something, let us all take time to stop and listen.

Prayer

Come Holy Spirit and teach us to truly listen. In these modern times, we are sorry if we are digitally distracted with all that’s happening around us. Pull us back. Wake us up. May we go out of our callous selves and be more sensitive to Your message through the people and circumstances that You send. May we listen well and follow Your voice so we don’t get lost in the dark wilderness of sin. Amen.

Transcendence

First Reading: Job 7:1-4, 6-7

Job spoke, saying: Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery? Are not his days those of hirelings? He is a slave who longs for the shade, a hireling who waits for his wages. So I have been assigned months of misery, and troubled nights have been allotted to me. If in bed I say, “When shall I arise?” then the night drags on; I am filled with restlessness until the dawn. My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope. Remember that my life is like the wind; I shall not see happiness again.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

Second Reading:  1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23

Brothers and sisters:

If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it! If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my recompense? That, when I preach, I offer the gospel free of charge so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, to save at least some. All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it.

Gospel: Mark 1:29-39

On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.

The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

Rising very early before dawn, he left  and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

Reflection

By Grace B. Madriñan

I was first introduced to the word “transcendence” during the talk of Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas about the Filipino laity of today.  He defined transcendence as “recognizing that someone is more superior than you”. The second time I heard this was during Pope Francis' homily in Manila Cathedral addressing the priests and religious. But in both instances, it all summarizes one thing -- humility is manifested in transcendence.

As I begin to reflect on my experience of transcendence, I realized that it is not at all easy. For most cases, there is a point of struggle and denial. “No, this cannot happen to me!” or “God will not allow this to happen!” All of which seemingly pre-empting the Lord’s will, as if twisting His arm to get what I want. The recent instance I felt this was during my certification exam for CBAP® (Certified Business Analysis Professional™) In the middle of taking the exam, there is this thought of not getting through… there were a lot of questions which seem vague to me. There is this vision of disappointment and having to go through the toil of doing the reviews all over again. It is then that I felt that I can only do as much but it is up to God’s hands to bring it to completion. A few moments before hitting the “submit” button, I raised my hands in surrender.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus did what He had to do. He preached and healed many from one place to another. He is sought by everyone. It would seem that He already knew what He had to do. He is in control.  But as if He had enough rest, He still “went off to a deserted place, where He prayed (Mark 1:35)”.  He seeks the Father and listened to His next bidding. If Jesus who is of God’s equal seeks the Father, who are we to do otherwise?

“Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker-- An earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter, 'What are you doing?' Or the thing you are making say, 'He has no hands '? " (Isaiah 45:9)

Prayer

Father, we surrender to Your will. Create in me a humble heart which listens and abides to Your plans. Amen.

Why do you have to be so cryptic,Jesus?

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time July 27

First reading 1 Kings 3:5,7-12
The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, ‘Ask what you would like me to give you.’ Solomon replied, ‘O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in succession to David my father. But I am a very young man, unskilled in leadership. Your servant finds himself in the midst of this people of yours that you have chosen, a people so many its number cannot be counted or reckoned. Give your servant a heart to understand how to discern between good and evil, for who could govern this people of yours that is so great?’ It pleased the Lord that Solomon should have asked for this. ‘Since you have asked for this’ the Lord said ‘and not asked for long life for yourself or riches or the lives of your enemies, but have asked for a discerning judgement for yourself, here and now I do what you ask. I give you a heart wise and shrewd as none before you has had and none will have after you.’

Psalm                                                                          Psalm 118:57,72,76-77,127-130

Second reading                                                      Romans 8:28-30

We know that by turning everything to their good, God co-operates with all those who love him,
with all those he has called according to his purpose. They are the ones he chose specially long
ago and intended to become true images of his Son, so that his Son might be the eldest of
many brothers. He called those he intended for this; those he called he justified, and with those
he justified he shared his glory.

Gospel                                                                     Matthew 13:44-52

Jesus said to the crowds, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field.

  ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.

  ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in a haul of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use. This is how it will be at the end of time: the angels will appear and separate the wicked from the just to throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

  ‘Have you understood all this?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ And he said to them, ‘Well then, every scribe who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out from his storeroom things both new and old.’

Reflection by Fidji Rivera-Sarmiento

Back in Christian Living class, we were always tasked to memorize the symbols and what they represent among all parables. Last Sunday was about the wheat and the weed, the mustard seed, and the yeast used in bread. In today’s Gospel, Jesus used a buried treasure, a merchant searching for the pearl of great price, then a net cast into the sea. Expectedly, our Lord would end the parable with the selection of what is good, then burning the bad. Morose ending, eh?

Here’s the article from Felix Just, SJ about the parables in the Gospels. Boy, are these students of the internet generation very lucky to have this list! We had to find all of them in Bible manually!  But if you must ask, if I TRULY understood why our Lord had to actually talk in parables, the answer is a resounding…NO. (Sorry, my CL teachers.) Why so cryptic, my Lord? Even the Apostles had to ask Jesus why. Let’s read this eksena from Matthew 13:10–17.

10  And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

11  ¹Jesus answered them, “^aTo you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, 

but to them it has not been granted.

12  “^aFor whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; 

but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.

13  “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while ^aseeing they do not see, 

and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

14  “¹In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,

‘^2aYou will keep on hearing, ³but will not understand;

⁴You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;

15  ^aFor the heart of this people has become dull,

With their ears they scarcely hear,

And they have closed their eyes,

Otherwise they would see with their eyes,

Hear with their ears,

And understand with their heart and return,

And I would heal them.’

16  “^aBut blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.

17  “For truly I say to you that ^amany prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, 

and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

So, did this explanation clarify my queries? Still not. See, I am not the beating-around-the-bush kind of gal. I hit the target right away. I love a little mystery here and there, and maybe bits of suspense. But I am not a fan of cryptic messages. Not that I dislike deciphering them, but I find it time wasting. Paikot-ikot, bakit kailangan malabo, kung pwede namang malinaw? But our Lord Jesus greatly used parables to describe the kingdom of God. He must have a big purpose for that. Could it be so the non-believers will continue to follow Him, na mala-teleserye ang dating? Or did He want to coat the bitter truth with something digestible? Was He kind of simplifying how God operates by using simple and sometimes inanimate objects? Then towards the end, the Lord would only reveal the meaning to the Apostles, na parang private debriefing lamang. Oh, my theories and me!

But was it effective? Precisely, YES! Did He convey the messages with conviction? Yes! Did the parables affect a reader in many levels each time one reads it? Truly. Parables hit me differently when I was in grade school compared to how it moves me now that I have my own family. And besides, to those who honestly hunger for God’s Word, the parables become a memorable tool about the truths. At least for now, we perfectly understand how precious the kingdom of God is, and how Jesus want us to WANT it.

As my mother would quip, “Kung lahat naiintindihan mo, wala nang misteryo. Hindi na faith ang tawag ‘dun.”

Prayer

Dear Jesus,

I’m sorry for the many, many times I doubted. But You always found a way to refresh my faith. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit. Thank you for Your Words. Thank You that even if You are not physically walking around here telling parables, You instituted a Church to guide us in learning Your Words.Amen.