Coming As We Are

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

05 July 2026

 

First Reading: Zechariah 9:9-10

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14

Second Reading: Romans 8:9, 11-13

Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30

 

Reflection

By: Pietro S. Albano

 

We visited a few churches while in Rome in summer of last year. One of them was the Church of Sant’Alfonso where the original image of Our Mother of Perpetual Help is venerated. As we entered the church, I saw a woman on the last pew eating. I was tempted to hit my judgemental button but decided not to. I thought, in such a hot and sunny weather, the church seemed the only place where the woman could find shelter and have her dinner.

As we moved nearer the sanctuary, I saw another lady crying loudly while on her knees. Again, I was about to react, but told myself, probably she has no one to talk to who would sincerely and non-judgementally listen to her except God and His Mother. After saying our prayers in front of the image of Mary and taking some pictures, we left the church. The woman was still in tears.

The late Deacon Martyn Swaby, my former spiritual director, once said that we come as we are in the presence of God. We may be happy or sad, refreshed or tired, in the state of grace or living in sin. Regardless, today’s Gospel reminds us that Jesus is calling us to come to Him (Mt 11:28). The two women I encountered came as they are in that beautiful church. Like the humble tax collector who went up to the temple to pray, I believe that both women left the church justified with God (Lk 18:14).

That experience touched me too. Instead of looking down and feeling scandalised by the actions of fellow believers, I was inspired to be more understanding and welcoming of others especially those who are in the fringes of the Church and society. I’m still a work in progress as I strive to imitate Christ who is gentle and humble of heart (Mt 11:29).

 

Prayer

O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, transform our proud and unyielding hearts to be like Yours - ever gentle, humble, and welcoming to everyone - so that the Father would also reveal to us the mysteries of the Kingdom. Amen.

Where Does My Heart Find Rest?

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

03 August 2025

 

First Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17

Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11

Gospel: Luke 12:13-21

 

Reflection By:

Bro. Carlo Alexis Malaluan

Diocese of Imus

 

You’ve probably heard the old tale of King Midas—the man who wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. At first, it seemed like a dream come true. His palace sparkled, his wealth grew, and his fame spread. But that golden touch soon turned into a curse. The food he tried to eat turned to metal. Even his beloved daughter, when she ran into his arms, became a lifeless statue of gold. In the end, what he thought was a blessing revealed the tragic emptiness of having everything… except what truly matters.

The Gospel this Sunday tells a story not far from Midas’—a man blessed with an abundant harvest, so much, that his barns couldn’t contain it all. Like Midas, he thought to himself, “Now I can rest. I’ve made it. Soul, eat, drink, be merry.” He believed he had finally arrived at peace, that his heart could finally settle down.

But God calls him fool. “This very night your life will be demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?”

It’s easy to say we are not materialistic. Easy to claim we are not enslaved by money or the things that glitter in this world. But if we take an honest look at our daily lives—our thoughts before going to sleep, our worries upon waking, our plans, our fears—don’t they often reveal where our hearts truly rest?

The problem of the rich man isn’t his success, his hard work, or his good harvest. His downfall is his misplaced security. He thought his soul could find rest in what he owned, rather than in the One who gave it all. And so his heart, like Midas’, was trapped—not in poverty, but in the illusion of wealth.

Today’s Gospel asks us a quiet but piercing question: Where does my heart find rest? What kind of treasure do I hold closest to my chest? Is it something that can be taken away in a moment, or is it something eternal?

Isn’t that the same subtle temptation we face today? We often equate the rest of the heart with what we can accumulate—money, achievements, possessions, even relationships that offer us comfort. But even when we have them all, we remain restless. There’s always the fear of losing them. Always the anxiety of what’s next.

The Gospel challenges us to ask: What kind of treasure does my heart truly value? For the heart, as St. Augustine once said, is restless until it rests in God. True wealth cannot be measured by quantity, but by depth—the depth of our relationship with God, the depth of our love, the depth of our giving and belonging.

When the heart finds rest in the treasure of God, it becomes at peace even in scarcity. When the heart rests in authentic love, it feels whole even amid imperfections. When the heart rests in God’s will, it finds a peace the world cannot buy. When our hearts rest in God, there is peace—even when we don’t have everything figured out. When our hearts rest in love, there is fullness—even when life is not perfect. And when our hearts rest in doing the will of the Father, there is joy—even in the midst of uncertainty.

So today, perhaps we’re being invited to look at our own “golden touches”—those things we think will bring us peace, control, or contentment. Are they really feeding the soul, or are they turning what’s most human in us into something hollow? Where does my heart truly find rest? In God, or in things that fade away?

And if we realize we've been learning on fragile foundations, we need not be afraid to return. God is always waiting. Because His heart is the true home of our own. Because His heart is where ours was meant to rest all along.

Prayer

Faithful Endurance

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

29 June 2025

 

First Reading: Acts 12:1-11

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

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

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19

 

Reflection

By: Bernard M. Borja

 

In the regress and movement of our lives, hardship often feels like a weight too heavy to bear. But for Saints Peter and Paul, suffering became the fire in which their faith was strengthened, the foundation from which the Church’s mission would flourish. Their life reminds us of that faithful endurance and trust in God are not just virtues to be admired but living realities that we also experience through our own struggles. Today, as we commemorate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, we are reminded that God’s providence meets us not by taking away our trials, but by inviting us into a deeper solidarity with Christ’s passion and resurrection.

When Peter was imprisoned by Herod and bound by chains, he still slept peacefully between two soldiers. I imagine if I’m in that same situation, my whole body would not be able to rest. How could I rest when there’s a high possibility that before the sun rises, I would be executed? But Peter sleeping peacefully reveals a strong conviction of trust in the Lord. Peter’s deliverance was like a modern cinematic scene – chains falling away, doors locked opening without keys – and it stands as a powerful image of how God often sets us free. It is not by dodging our imprisonment, but by being present within it and shattering its walls.

Like Peter, Paul also faced execution with remarkable peacefulness. He did not desire for escape but entrusts himself wholly to God’s care. Here, deliverance takes on a different form – not chains falling away, but with a proclamation of completion or accomplishment of mission that glorifies God. Paul’s faithful endurance becomes our guide for evangelical mission that our sufferings are woven into Christ’s own offering, strengthening the Church as we share in his cross.

Peter’s reply to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”, is both gift and commission. Jesus words to him, “For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father” tells us that divine revelation does not flow from human understanding, but from relationship with the Father. In his commissioning, the keys of the kingdom are entrusted to Peter, which started an authority rooted in faithful witness more than earthly power. In his chains and in his sleep, Peter models a shepherd whose strength lies in unshakeable trust, teaching us that the Church’s stability springs from the obedience of faith.

Paul illustrates another side of that same mission. As “apostle to the Gentiles,” his heart beats for the unreached and the unworthy, tirelessly proclaiming Christ even at the point of death. His evangelization is not fueled by ambition but by a deep compassion born of his own conversion and trials. Each wreckage, imprisonment, and thorn in the flesh reminds us that witnessing to Christ demands courage in hardship. Paul’s gaze never left the mission of the Gospel. He measures his life by souls won for Christ’s kingdom, not by comfort or passive service.

Through Peter and Paul, we also learn that our personal hardships – griefs, sicknesses, betrayals, and doubts, are not distractions from mission, but its essence. When we allow our suffering to unite with Christ’s suffering, we become living sacraments of ascending hope, whispering to a broken world that God is here with us, and that there is resurrection. We bear witness in compassion for those suffering and displaced by war and conflict, with those who are still holding on to hope while lying sickly in hospital beds, in our own hopelessness but faithful enduring prayers, and in moments of silent surrender when we look forward to saying, “Now I know for certain that the Lord sends his angel and rescued us.”

In our own trials in life, we can ask ourselves “How has God delivered me? By breaking the chains or by holding me gently in His presence? In what ways has my faithful endurance drawn others to Christ?” Like Peter and Paul at the brink of death, may our hearts rest in God’s promise that every trial endured in faith and love becomes a testament to His infinite mercy. May our own lives, wounded but not broken, be the living stones upon which Christ builds his Church, both persistent and unshakeable.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, grant us faithful endurance in our trials, that our sufferings may unite us to Your passion and bear witness to resurrection. Pour out Your mercy on the innocent families in the war-torn region of the Middle East, healing their deeper wounds, comforting the displaced, and granting peace to their hearts. Transform our own hardships into living stones of Your Church, unshakeable and bright with hope. May we, like Your apostles, trust Your providence despite persecution and conflict. Through Your grace, may we also become peace-builders and console the oppressed, and bring Your presence to those suffering alone. With the intercession of Mary, our dear mother, may we remain in Your gentle loving peace. AMEN.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    

Ika-16 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

21 Hulyo 2024

 

Unang Pagbasa: Jeremias 23, 1-6

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

Ikalawang Pagbasa: Efeso 2, 13-18

Ebanghelyo: Marcos 6, 30-34

 

Pagninilay

Ni: Renato C. Vibiesca

 

Kung papansinin natin, maraming pari at layko na mahusay mangaral sa ating panahon. Siguradong namamangha tayo sa maraming bagay na kanilang nagagawa bilang mga lider. Laging nahihikayat at napapagaya tayo sa kanilang mabubuting halimbawa ng pagiging tunay na Kristiyano. Malaking tulong din ang lunduyang medyang pang-madla para sa ebanghelisasyon, lalo na ang “online” o “social media” na higit na lumaganap noong panahon ng pandemya. Kaya katulad ng mga apostol sa Ebanghelyo, madali nating makilala ang mga “preacher” dahil parang mga artista na rin sila sa kasikatan. Kahit hindi naman nila tayo kilalang personal, madalas na nilalapitan natin sila upang humingi ng tulong.  Kung minsan ay hindi lang panalangin o tulong ispirituwal ang hinihingi natin, samu’t saring problema ng buhay ang idinudulog natin sa kanila at iniisip na para bang mga Santo silang hindi makatatanggi. Kaya nga alam ng Panginoong Hesus na napapagod din ang kanilang katawan o isipan at kinakailangan din nilang magpahinga, mag-relaks, mag-retreat, na kadalasan ay sa malayong lugar, sa bundok na wala sanang iistorbo sa kanilang pamamahinga.

Ilang dekada na ang nakararaan, madalas na sa Baguio ako nakakasama noon sa mga Retreat kasama ng ilang pari at mga katekista.  Noong araw kasi’y kakaunti pa ang tao sa Baguio, wala pang mga malls, wala pang SM, wala pang traffic, wala pang mga night market, wala pang mga bar, at wala pang kung anu-anong mga establisiyamento. Ngayon ay sobrang dami na ng tao sa Baguio. Ang mga tao ay mula sa maraming siyudad ng Kamaynilaan at iba’t ibang bayan sa ating bansa. Karamihan sa kanila ay dala-dala ang maraming pasanin sa buhay kung kaya’t nais nilang mag-relaks at makatagpo ng kapayapaan sa malalamig na kabundukan na siyudad ng Baguio. Tulad ng sa Ebanghelyo, nauna na ang mga tao sa Baguio upang abangan ang dulot na lunas sa kanilang mga hinaing sa buhay mula sa tulong ng mga alagad ni Hesus. Tuwing araw ng Linggo bukod sa dami ng taong nagsisimba sa Baguio Cathedral ay isinasara ang kahabaan ng Session Road upang magbigay daan sa iba’t ibang palabas para sa kultura, turismo at negosyo. Mas marami pang tao sa Session Road kaysa sa loob ng Cathedral dahil aaliwin ka talaga ng mga presentasyong pangkomersiyo na mapapanood sa kalsada.  Hindi naman masama ang pagnenegosyo at ang pagbibigay serbisyo sa tao na nakakaaliw. Ngunit kung nakapako na lamang ang ating atensiyon sa kayamanan ng mundo at ibinuhos ang buong buhay natin dito, nabubulagan tayo’t hindi na makita ang ating kapwa sa ating harapan na higit na nangangailangan. Sa kabila ng sinasabing pag-unlad ng negosyo sa Baguio, hindi nabibigyang-pansin ang maraming tao na namamalimos sa kalsada, mga taong may karamdaman at hindi makapagpagamot sa ospital, mga matatandang pakalat-kalat sa lansangan, nagkalat din ang mga mandurukot na sinasamantala ang siksikan ng mga tao, at patuloy ang mga krimen at korapsiyon sa pamahalaan sa buong bansa.  Kaya’t hanggang ngayon ay nahahabag sa atin ang Panginoong Hesus dahil para tayong mga tupang walang pastol.

Panalangin:

Panginoong Hesus, patuloy mo Kaming kahabagan at turuan upang manatili kaming sumusunod sa Iyo na aming Mabuting Pastol. Patnubayan nawa ng Espiritu Santo ang mga naglilingkod sa Iyo para sa pagpapatuloy ng Ebanghelisasyon sa aming kasalukuyang henerasyon. Amen.

The Rest That We Need

    

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

09 July 2023

 

First Reading: Zec 9:9-10

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14

Second Reading: Rom 8:9, 11-13

Gospel: Mt 11:25-30

 

Reflection

By: Theresa B. Manio

 

I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

There was a time in my teenage years when the song "Lift Up Your Hands" by Basil Valdez was my life theme song. I felt at that time everything around was chaotic and I was in a dark pit where I cannot see my real self. I had to wear different masks to survive, there were days I wished to die, there were nights that this song just gives me comfort and companionship.

Sometimes we feel trapped and think of giving up because of uncontrollable life events that happen to us. Sometimes the people that we expect to protect us disappoint us too. The Gospel this Sunday reminds us that Jesus is the solution to our problems, difficulties, and challenges. He knows all our weaknesses and meets us where we are. The belief that He is there, that someone sees us, knows our true struggles, and yet loves us still the same.

He invites us to offload all our concerns on Him, and in exchange, He will give us His yoke, one that is light. Jesus assures us that in Him we will find rest when we believe and pray. The yoke that He is offering to us is that of humility and meekness. He wants us to be humble, just like Him and there, we will find rest. Meet Jesus in prayer, with a humble and contrite heart, and tell everything to Jesus. He will never let us down when we seek His help. Sometimes, His responses may come a little late as we expected or He gives a different answer. Yet, His timing is always perfect and His ways are always better. Whatever we ask from God, in His Name, we will have it. Therefore, with humble hearts, let's take our burdens to Jesus and we will find rest.

And He said, "Cast your burdens upon Me

Those who are heavily laden,

Come to Me, all of you who are tired

Of carrying heavy loads,

For the yoke I will give you is easy

And My burden is light,

Come to Me and I will give you rest."

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, we come before You with humble and contrite hearts. We lift all our burdens to You because we believe that it is only in You that we can find rest. Give us Your yoke which is good to bear and is light. May You inspire us to practice humility and meekness all the days of our life.

CoVid Takes, Jesus Saves!

Twenty-fourth Sunday in

Ordinary Time

12 September 2021 

 

First Reading: IS 50:5-9a

Responsorial Psalm: PS 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9

Second Reading: JAS 2:14-18

Gospel: MK 8:27-35

 

Reflection

By: Theresa Ballo

 

Who do people say that I am? We have been hearing this question probably once a year in the Gospel, and each year we may have different responses. In this pandemic, I was just wondering who people say Jesus is.

For the past two months, I lost two uncles and two aunts. All three siblings of my mother and her sister in law. Only my aunt, mom's only sister died of complications due to CoVid-19. She fought severe CoVid for more than a month in the hospital. Her hospital bills went to 3.2 milion where none of us have millions in the bank. And she's the last among them who died. Our house was just next to her house. So when five of them tested positive for CoVid-19, we were also positive. Three in our household, both of my parents and I. We all recovered from CoVid-19 except her.

For the past three years, I was living away from my parents. I see them twice or thrice a month. I went back here to Bulacan from Laguna to attend my uncle's funeral who died of a liver problem. Little did I know that three more deaths would follow. When we were all symptomatic, I was really worried about my parents' lives. I would wake up in the middle of the night just to check if there were still breathing. I prayed not for my healing but theirs. I have mental health problems, so dying is something I would take pleasure from. Just the thought of ending life's miseries and hopefully being with our Creator is something I really look forward to. So I asked for God's mercy and healing for my parents' and one special night I asked Jesus to heal me because no one will take care of my parents if I go ahead of them. The anxiety, the fear, the loss CoVid-19 brings to a number of families is real. No one wants that. Nobody wants to spend their last days physically alone, around strangers. It's something you wouldn't want to wish for anyone, not even for your enemy.

Jesus remains to be my healer and savior. In Him, I find rest. Truly, as we read the Psalms this Sunday, He has freed my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. I shall walk in the land of the living. Grief takes many aftershocks and having that number of deaths in the family in a matter of two months brings desolation, differences, and drought in Spirit. Maybe this is where Jesus' invitation comes in. To take up His cross and still follow Him.

But Jesus is God. Yes, He may share with us human experiences but definitely He is a way more stronger than we are. I can just recall how much He suffered on His way to the cross. Accepting that death in itself is a part of life makes coping a bit easier. When I see my aunt suffer in the hospital, procedure after procedure. She cannot talk. She cannot say where it hurts. We all surrendered to God's ways because we are hurting seeing her suffer, not being able to do anything to alleviate her pain. Believing in God's mercy and Jesus' promise of afterlife, makes letting go easier.

Jesus teaches us that if we want to save our lives, we must deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him. What attachments do we hold dearly that hinders us from having a deep and loving relationship with Him? Are we obsessed with life that we take for granted to actually live? How do we respond to detachments and losses in life?

Listen to Jesus. What is He telling you today?

 

Prayer

 

Lord Jesus, make my heart the same as Yours. Help me to value events, people, and things the way You do. Teach me to follow You especially when it entails making a personal sacrifice and discomfort for me. Give me grace to see You in all things, the courage to say yes and continue, and the strength to carry my cross. Amen.

 

Rest

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

18 July 2021 

 

First Reading: JER 23:1-6

Responsorial Psalm: PS 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6

Second Reading: EPH 2:13-18

Gospel: MK 6:30-34

 

Reflection

By: Grace Madrinan

 

"Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while". - Mark 6:31

This verse struck me the most in today's Gospel. I have been guilty of overworking for the past few days that I felt irritable and almost in a tantrum. And the verse reminded what I needed the most...rest.

But if you read the verse more closely, there are other keywords to describe the rest required. It says "by yourselves" which reads alone. "To a deserted place" which means away from the world's distractions - work, mobile phones, netflix.

Almost immediately, when rest is suggested, people will suggest going to an out of town trip, climb a mountain or take a swim elsewhere. I know because I would love to take that rest somewhere else given this pandemic. But reflecting on the passage today, deep in my heart I know it calls me to a different rest.

"When was the last time that you pray? That kind of prayer where you lose track of time, the kind of prayer that moves you to tears and lulls you to sleep..."

I heard this question in my mind and felt that tug in my heart. It's true. My prayers lately, if not hurried, is limited to the rosary or Divine Mercy. I needed to find my rest again in a deep prayer.

"Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed." - Mark 1:35

Even Jesus, our Lord, took time to pray. I should, too.

Prayer

 

Father, I was too caught up with this world that I forget to rest and pray. Forgive me. Teach me how to pray as Jesus did that I may fully recover and find rest in You. Amen.

 

 

Down in the Water

19th Sunday In Ordinary Time
13 August 2017

First reading

1 Kings 19:9,11-13

When Elijah reached Horeb, the mountain of the Lord, he went into the cave and spent the night in it. Then he was told, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ Then the Lord himself went by. There came a mighty wind, so strong it tore the mountains and shattered the rocks before the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire. But the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there came the sound of a gentle breeze. And when Elijah heard this, he covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

---

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 84(85):9-14

                      Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and give us your saving help.

Second reading

Romans 9:1-5

What I want to say now is no pretence; I say it in union with Christ – it is the truth – my conscience in union with the Holy Spirit assures me of it too. What I want to say is this: my sorrow is so great, my mental anguish so endless, I would willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ if it could help my brothers of Israel, my own flesh and blood. They were adopted as sons, they were given the glory and the covenants; the Law and the ritual were drawn up for them, and the promises were made to them. They are descended from the patriarchs and from their flesh and blood came Christ who is above all, God for ever blessed! Amen.

---

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Lk19:38,2:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

My soul is waiting for the Lord,

I count on his word.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel

Matthew 14:22-33

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he would send the crowds away. After sending the crowds away he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, while the boat, by now far out on the lake, was battling with a heavy sea, for there was a head-wind. In the fourth watch of the night he went towards them, walking on the lake, and when the disciples saw him walking on the lake they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost’ they said, and cried out in fear. But at once Jesus called out to them, saying, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ It was Peter who answered. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come’ said Jesus. Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and began to sink. ‘Lord! Save me!’ he cried. Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. ‘Man of little faith,’ he said ‘why did you doubt?’ And as they got into the boat the wind dropped. The men in the boat bowed down before him and said, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.’

REFLECTION

by Theresa Ballo

Today’s Gospel clearly manifest the very nature of faith. The willingness to plunge ourselves into a messy world and expect an encounter with Jesus there. It is the nature of faith to rise above the normal “rules” of mediocrity to see the possibilities of what it might bring into our personal being. It is the nature of faith even to waver from time to time, when it has stepped into the chaotic, unfamiliar ground. Because as Peter experienced, Jesus is there where the safety nets are being redrawn, extending life-giving stability.

Peter in his human weakness doubted Jesus, in his fear, he started to sink in the sea. When he lost his eyes on Jesus, He never left him. He was there, watched, stayed and grabbed him. He didn’t use Peter’s failure as a teaching moment to the disciples. He doesn’t use our frailties to brag His power. Even when we are not faithful, God is faithful in us.

Being in a relationship for the first time and at 27 years old was so far my last significant walking on water in a stormexperience. At 25, after years of discernment, I was sure I am not for religious vocation. Therefore, being in the vocation of marriage one has to find his/her partner, the one true love. So, I started my quest in my travels, meeting new people, attending webinars on how to become more confident with men, participating in speed dating and most of all going to novena masses in St. Jude for that intention. Growing up, I’ve had personal issues with men. It took some time of spiritual healing and professional help before I involved myself with all these activities. So, after these joyous, tiring, frustrating explorations, I found someone whom I would like to get to know deeper and put down all my defenses, or better to say, someone I can be vulnerable. For so long, I knew that I was ready yet staying committed was another story. My default was to run away from stressful situations. I was afraid. The fears and pessimism outlived the excitement of having a boyfriend for the first time. Nonetheless, I heard God speaking to me, I thought you want to have a family? Why worry so much? Here’s a man I have prepared for you.

Like Peter, I was scared of sinking. I have lots of what ifs and doubts. Nevertheless, I went off the boat and walked anyway. Our relationship is almost three years now. So far, it is like Philippine storms, at times it is still then the next day it would feel destructive. Unmet expectations and individual differences challenges each of our persons and our relationship. Yet most of the time, in humble gratitude and awe, I am seeing Jesus in him nearly every day.  Life is happier with him around and I am growing gracefully in this aspect. When I allowed God’s standards to be my standards, he is faithful to His promises.

Jesus wants us all to walk toward Him, in faith, on the “water” of our life. He wants us to cast aside our fears and commit to Him with a deep-seated faith. We are all like St. Peter, we want to walk on the water toward Jesus but the winds of doubt blend with the inner chaos of our own hearts, and the circumstances of our own life, our faith gets affected. Peter’s faith was tested – as ours is – everyday. All we have to do is ask, call out and pray. Maybe the reason why Jesus called Peter from the boat was to serve as a witness to the Church that accomplishing our mission in the midst of the storms of our lives is not in vain and promises are yet to be fulfilled.

Prayer

Father God,

Thank You for the gift of faith. Thank You for assuring us of Your love and providence. Strengthen our faith, O Lord. There are a lot of times that we get weak especially when things seem uncertain and when the world seems to tell us it is impossible. But Father God, we also know that with You, anything is possible. May we always believe in that with all our heart so we can serve You more and  we may serve You well. All this we ask in Jesus name and with the intercession of Mary, our mother. Amen.

Fidget Spinner

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

09 July 2017

First reading                                                                                               Zechariah 9:9-10

The Lord says this:
Rejoice heart and soul, daughter of Zion!
Shout with gladness, daughter of Jerusalem!
See now, your king comes to you;
he is victorious, he is triumphant,
humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
He will banish chariots from Ephraim
and horses from Jerusalem;
the bow of war will be banished.
He will proclaim peace for the nations.
His empire shall stretch from sea to sea,
from the River to the ends of the earth.

---

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 144(145):1-2,8-11,13b-14

---

Second reading                                                                                                     Romans 8:9,11-13

Your interests are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit of God has made his home in you. In fact, unless you possessed the Spirit of Christ you would not belong to him, and if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.
  So then, my brothers, there is no necessity for us to obey our unspiritual selves or to live unspiritual lives. If you do live in that way, you are doomed to die; but if by the Spirit you put an end to the misdeeds of the body you will live.

Gospel Acclamation Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children. Alleluia!

---

Gospel	Matthew 11:25-30

Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
  ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

Reflection

by Nats Vibiesca

Minsan, nagpapabili sa akin ng fidget spinner ang anak kong nasa grade 12. ‘Di ba pambata lang ‘yun?, tanong ko sa kanya. Hindi raw, uso raw ‘yun, kahit nga mga teenager nagpapaikot nun at pang tanggal daw ‘yun ng stress. Tanong ko’y ba’t mo kailangan nun, stressed ka ba ngayon? Hindi naman daw, libangan lang daw, ang sabi niya. Sabi ko nama’y pauso lang ‘yan ng mga negosyanteng Intsik para madagdagan ang produktong binibili natin sa kanila.

Kailangan nga ba natin ng libangan para matanggal ang mga stress o problema sa buhay? Mahirap daw kasing magpatong-patong na sa dami ang mga stress sa buhay natin.  Kadalasa’y pati kalusugan apektado ng stress, dagdag problema pa nga naman kung magpapa-ospital.  Kaya nga kung anu-anong stress reliever ang nabibili na ngayon: may stress ball, stress tab, fidget spinner, comfort food, etsetera. Kahit na ang pag-iinternet ay ginagawang libangan natin ngayon, nakakatanggal nga raw kasi ng stress. Halimbawa’y ang social media, napapako tayo nang matagal sa Facebook dahil  kung nababagot sa buhay, napapagod sa mga gawain, o ang daming iniisip na problema’y nagsisilbing libangan ito.

Pero ang libangan ay panandalian lang naman. Kung tutuusi’y hindi naman talaga natatanggal ang stress o problema natin. Lalo na kung puro negative na ang nakikita sa Facebook.  Dati kasi’y masasaya ang nakikita sa Facebook, may reunion ng pamilya, kaibigan o barkada na matagal nang hindi nagkikita, nakakatawang mga moment, mga inspirational na post, at iba pa. Pero nagbago na ito ngayon dahil puro fake news na ang newsfeed, larawan o video ng mga nadisgrasya, nagsapakan, holdapan, pati nga pagpapakamatay ay naka-live stream na rin sa Facebook at milyung-milyong tao ang nanonood na para bang isang nakatutuwang palabas ito para malibang.

Patuloy nating hinahanap ang tamang libangan upang maibsan ang suliranin sa araw-araw. Pati nga ang pag-aalaga ng aso na may lahi ay nagiging pangtanggal stress din, pati pagkain sa mga eat-all-you can o drink-all-you-can pang-divert ng mga karanasang negatibo, kaydami ring mga travel and tours na ginagawang libangan kahit hindi pa naman panahon ng pagbabakasyon o minsa’y ipinapangutang pa nga kaya’t nagkakapatong-patong lalo ang problema imbes na masolusyonan. Hindi naman masama ang mga ito kung hindi inaabuso, nakakatulong din naman ito para maibsan nga ang masamang nararamdaman ng damdamin pero lagi na lang hindi sapat ang lahat ng ito. Hanggang saan umaabot ang lahat ng libangan natin para manatiling masaya at mapayapa ang kalooban ng ating buhay? Wala nga sa mga ito ang makapupuno ng ating pangangailangan. Kaya’t lagi tayong naghahanap at lagi ring napapagod sa buhay, karamihan ay nawawalan pa ng pag-asa, binabalot ng kalungkutan kahit lagi namang naglilibang, patuloy pa rin ang pagdadalamhati kahit natamo na ang mga pinapangarap noon, at ang iba’y halos tinatabangan na sa buhay.

Mula noong bata pa ay nakadama na tayo ng samu’t saring paghihirap sa buhay. Hanggang sa naging bagahe natin ang ilan sa mga ito at hindi nga matanggal sa ating katauhan. Bukod dito’y patuloy pang dumadami ang mga alalahanin ng ating buhay. Matatanggal nga ba natin ito ng sarili lamang nating lakas? Talino? Kakayahan?

Hindi. Ang grasya ng Diyos lamang ang makakapawi ng lahat ng paghihirap natin. Saan natin mahahanap ang tunay na kaligayahan, kapayapaan at kapahingahan? Sa kapangyarihan ba? Sa kayamanan? Sa atin boss? Sa taong iniidolo ba natin? Sa mga anak o asawa ba natin?

Tanging kay Jesus lamang ang ganap  kapahingahan. Tanging kay Jesus lamang ang ganap na kaligayahan. Tanging kay Jesus lamang ang ganap na kapayapaan.

Prayer

Panginoon Jesus, akayin Mo kami sa Iyong kanlungan at yakapin Mo kami ng Iyong kapayaan para sa ikagiginhawa ng aming kaluluwa't katawan. Amen.

An Open Letter to Jesus

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time July 6

First reading Zechariah 9:9-10

The Lord says this:

Rejoice heart and soul, daughter of Zion!

Shout with gladness, daughter of Jerusalem!

See now, your king comes to you;

he is victorious, he is triumphant,

humble and riding on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

He will banish chariots from Ephraim

and horses from Jerusalem;

the bow of war will be banished.

He will proclaim peace for the nations.

His empire shall stretch from sea to sea,

from the River to the ends of the earth.

Psalm                                                                          Psalm 144:1-2,8-11,13-14

Second reading                                                      Romans 8:9,11-13

Your interests are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit of God has made his

home in you.In fact, unless you possessed the Spirit of Christ you would not belong to him, and

if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Jesus

from the dead will give life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.

So then, my brothers, there is no necessity for us to obey our unspiritual selves or to live

unspiritual lives. If you do live in that way, you are doomed to die; but if by the Spirit you put an

end to the misdeeds of the body you will live.

Gospel                                                                     Matthew 11:25-30

Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

  ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

Reflection by Fidji Rivera-Sarmiento

Dear Mr. Jesus,

Come to You. You’ll give me rest. You said.

Learn from You. Then You’ll give me rest. You said.

Your yoke is easy. 

Your burden is light.

YOU SAID.

But I beg to disagree, my God.

It’s as if the more I seek You, the more I come face to face with problems I never imagined.

The more I know Your Word, the more I become angrier, frustrated, disappointed with the world.

I seek Your Kingdom, then in one second You’re already testing Me. 

When I decided to follow You, my crosses became heavier.

WHY?

I think, I might have misunderstood Your offer!

I feel scammed.

BUT…

Ever since I committed my life to You, I have come to know suffering with a different set of eyes. 

I have realized how beautiful it is to love like You do. To be utterly dependent on Your grace and mercy. 

To be obedient to the Father’s Will even if I’m terrified. 

I’ve now known how to surrender and to stop exhausting my human strength and to turn to You. 

I’ve seen miracles. I’ve been awed with Your Work that no science can explain.

My heart has become lighter. My burdens are now a prayer away. 

My daily challenging labor as a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a teacher, has actually, finally, brought me inexplicable joy.

And I have learned to offer my everything to You, because finally, I feel liberated to say that I cannot do every single thing.

You. Yes You Jesus. Only You can make things weightless. 

So light I can fly.

Your Work in Progress,

Fidji   

Prayer

Father, Fill me with Your Spirit. Give me wisdom, give me discernment. Help me to trust Your Will more than my human strength. Soften my heart that this world has calloused. Cure me of my blindness. And in times that I do not understand You, or when I rebel, and complain too much, give me comfort through Your Words. Inspire me, my Blessed Mother. Let me surrender everything to the Lord, the way you did. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.