It is the Lord!

Third Sunday of Easter

05 May 2019

First reading                                                                        Acts 5:27-32, 40-41
When the guards had brought in the apostles, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.”
But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Saviour that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
When they had called in the apostles, they had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonour for the sake of the name.

Second reading                                                        Revelation 5:11-14

I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

Gospel                                                                     John 21:1-19

Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his followers. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn.

Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Reflection

By Pietro S. Albano

“It is the Lord!”, cried St John the Beloved, when he recognized it was Jesus who was waiting for them and giving them instructions where they could catch fish. That recognition was enough for St Peter to put his clothes on, jumped into the sea, and meet Christ. That encounter brought together the Master and His disciples for a meal. Having been nourished by the breakfast Jesus prepared Himself, what came next was a surprise for St Peter when he was asked not once, but thrice, if he loved the Lord. Having given the affirmative, he was called to missionary discipleship. Hence, looking back at the First Reading, we see not a cowering fisherman, but a courageous fisher of people.

Over these past few weeks, we read news of how Christians were persecuted. The bombings in Sri Lanka come to mind. The vandalization of churches here and there are another. At home, we see how the country's president called God 'stupid' to the glee of  his followers. One could say it is not that easy to become a Christian nowadays. It is never easy! Regardless, let us remain faithful to Jesus. 

“It is the Lord!”. Through our steadfast faith in the Risen Lord, may those around us - active or lapsed Christians, Christians or non-Christians, believers or non-believers - come to know Him. If that happens, then the experience of the disciples in today's Gospel would become real in our present times.

Prayer

Most loving and faithful Jesus, You were recognized by Your disciples in the sea. Help us too to recognize You in those moments when have not caught any fish in the sea of life.  May our actions and words point our sisters and brothers to You, our Savior. Amen.

O Mary, Star of the Sea, pray for us. 

Reality Bites

First Reading: GN 12:1-4A

The LORD said to Abram:  "Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father's house to a land that I will show you.

"I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you."

Abram went as the LORD directed him.

Responsorial Psalm: PS 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22

Second Reading: 2 TM 1:8B-10

Beloved:

Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.

He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began, but now made manifest  through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Verse Before The Gospel: CF. MT 17:5

From the shining cloud the Father's voice is heard: This is my beloved Son, hear him.

Gospel: MT 17:1-9

Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun  and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him.

"Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,  then from the cloud came a voice that said,  "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."

When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and do not be afraid." And when the disciples raised their eyes,  they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, "Do not tell the vision to anyone  until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

Reflection 
By Grace B. Madrinan

"Lord, it is good that we are here.  If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."  - Mark 17:4  

I can understand Peter’s excitement.  Imagine seeing all your mentors right before your eyes. He may be awestruck, dumbfounded, overwhelmed by the glorious sight in front of him.  Peter, James, and John had a glimpse of the promised paradise and they wanted to stay there, if possible, forever.

But it is not Jesus’ plan. He was not there to go on vacation and “socialize” with the disciples.  He was sent for a greater mission.

I myself had some shares of transfiguration-like moments while attending the Feast (a non-traditional Catholic prayer meeting of the Light of Jesus community).  I have been an attendee for several years and I was satisfied. I came in weary and I come out of the session renewed. That was the cycle every week until I decided to serve as part of the ministry.

Being part of the ministry was fulfilling. You get to see the behind-the-scenes, how everything is visualized from ground up. You get to see first how God is at work in the lives of our attendees. I knew my routine and it was great…until they assigned me as the ministry head.

And the reality of the service hits me. I was not new to serving in the community since I have been a part of the Parish choir for more than 10 years. Being a servant is one thing, but leading a dynamic ministry is something else. You have to deal with erring members and contain your frustrations over plans that did not come to fruition. Service is hard work, and the struggle is real.

"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." – Mark 17:5

Like the disciples in today’s Gospel, I have to be reminded of my purpose, and that is to listen and abide to the very Reason for my service. That I did not just come to the Feast to enjoy the moment and be drowned in the Holy Spirit. I have to put back the passion into an active service. And though the road may not be as rosy as I expected, I hope that the image of Christ on the cross would give me the strength to carry on.

Prayer

Father, we are often drawn to the beauty of worship that we tend to cling to the moment. May we be filled by the Holy Spirit and move into action to serve the purpose You have set before us.  In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Spiritual Zombies

First Reading:  2 MC 7:1-2, 9-14

It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested and tortured with whips and scourges by the king, to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.  One of the brothers, speaking for the others, said: “What do you expect to achieve by questioning us?  We are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors.”

At the point of death he said: “You accursed fiend, you are depriving us of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever.  It is for his laws that we are dying.”

After him the third suffered their cruel sport. He put out his tongue at once when told to do so, and bravely held out his hands, as he spoke these noble words: “It was from Heaven that I received these; for the sake of his laws I disdain them; from him I hope to receive them again.” Even the king and his attendants marveled at the young man's courage, because he regarded his sufferings as nothing.

After he had died, they tortured and maltreated the fourth brother in the same way.

When he was near death, he said, “It is my choice to die at the hands of men with the hope God gives of being raised up by him; but for you, there will be no resurrection to life.”

Responsorial Psalm: PS 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15

Second Reading: 2 THES 2:16-3:5

Brothers and sisters:

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.

Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified, as it did among you, and that we may be delivered from perverse and wicked people, for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.  We are confident of you in the Lord that what we instruct you, you are doing and will continue to do.  May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ.

Reflection: LK 20:27-38

Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us,

If someone's brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. Then the second and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless.

Finally the woman also died.  Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be?

For all seven had been married to her.” Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.

That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called out ‘Lord,’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

Reflection 
By Carlo Alexis Malaluan

He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive (Lk 20:38). 

Years ago, my grandfather died of cardiac arrest. To be honest, it was my first time to see someone in our family fighting for his life in the clutches of death. ‘He’s dead. He is no longer with us. He’s gone.’ Those were the words my grandmother, widowed by the passing of his husband, kept repeating. She was engulfed with great sorrow and grief. I hugged her tight and said, No, ‘nay. He is not dead. He is alive…with God! Death is an inevitable part of our human nature. Death is the result of our weakness and frailties, of our sins and transgressions. We can say that death marks the end of our earthly pilgrimage, but I dare to say, not all living is alive.

There is a popular trend in the film industry nowadays which highlights the existence of zombies, they are living persons who continue to exist, walk and feed but are technically considered dead. But this is not only confided in the corners of the showbiz industry rather it is also relevant in our Christian life. Let us reflect and look within. Are we truly alive or are we ‘spiritual zombies’? In today’s Gospel, Our Lord was confronted by the Sadducees who do not believe in the resurrection. For them, the written law is the basis of their lives that they miss the very essence of the life itself. They are like zombies; they continue to exist but are not totally alive.

Resurrection on the other hand is the prize of redemption. It is the result of God’s unfailing and unending mercy and compassion for the ailing humanity. Jesus reprimanded the Sadducees’ insincere query and told them that Resurrection is not for everyone but for ‘those judged worthy of a place in the age to come’. We are all going to die. Fact. But not all of us is worthy of Resurrection.

Now you ask me, what does it take to be truly alive? The only answer is to love. God is Love. This is what Saint John the Evangelist tells us in one of his letters. And if we are truly Children of the Living God, it means we are also children of love and mercy. God commanded us to love one another. When we fail to help someone who is knocking at the doors of our hearts, asking for a simple thing from our enormous ‘storage room’, we let our souls to die. When we fail to be merciful to others, we let our hearts to die. But if we do random, good, and noble things especially to those persons who cannot repay us back, we are truly alive. If we can love the unlovable, the neglected, the sorrowful, the broken – we are truly alive. Let me end my reflection by these words of the poor man from Assisi: "In giving we are receiving and in dying we are born into Eternal life".

Prayer

Lord, the Fountain of Life, grant us the grace to become fully alive. Grant us the grace to give our lives in the service of others that by doing so, we are partaking into Your resurrection. Lord, allow us to embrace the life You have given unto us and help us to bring others to the fullness of life that someday we may be together in Your kingdom in heaven. Amen.

Mundanity

2nd Sunday of Advent

December 6, 2015

First reading                                                                                                Baruch 5:1-9

Jerusalem, take off your dress of sorrow and distress,
put on the beauty of the glory of God for ever,
wrap the cloak of the integrity of God around you,
put the diadem of the glory of the Eternal on your head:
since God means to show your splendour to every nation under heaven,
since the name God gives you for ever will be,
‘Peace through integrity, and honour through devotedness.’
Arise, Jerusalem, stand on the heights
and turn your eyes to the east:
see your sons reassembled from west and east
at the command of the Holy One, jubilant that God has remembered them.
Though they left you on foot,
with enemies for an escort,
now God brings them back to you
like royal princes carried back in glory.
For God has decreed the flattening
of each high mountain, of the everlasting hills,
the filling of the valleys to make the ground level
so that Israel can walk in safety under the glory of God.
And the forests and every fragrant tree will provide shade
for Israel at the command of God;
for God will guide Israel in joy by the light of his glory
with his mercy and integrity for escort.

Psalm                                                                                               Psalm 125:1-6

Second reading                                                                           Philippians 1:4-6,8-11 Every time I pray for all of you, I pray with joy, remembering how you have helped to spread the Good News from the day you first heard it right up to the present. I am quite certain that the One who began this good work in you will see that it is finished when the Day of Christ Jesus comes; and God knows how much I miss you all, loving you as Christ Jesus loves you. My prayer is that your love for each other may increase more and more and never stop improving your knowledge and deepening your perception so that you can always recognise what is best. This will help you to become pure and blameless, and prepare you for the Day of Christ, when you will reach the perfect goodness which Jesus Christ produces in us for the glory and praise of God.

Gospel	Luke 3:1-6

In the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judaea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of the lands of Ituraea and Trachonitis, Lysanias tetrach of Abilene, during the pontificate of Annas and Caiaphas the word of God came to John son of Zechariah, in the wilderness. He went through the whole Jordan district proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the sayings of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice cries in the wilderness:
Prepare a way for the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Every valley will be filled in,
every mountain and hill be laid low,
winding ways will be straightened
and rough roads made smooth.
And all mankind shall see the salvation of God.

Reflection

By Pam Manzano

The world today as we know it is extremely far from where it was, say, ten or 20 years ago. Man’s pursuit for excellence, thirst for knowledge and willingness to survive has put him into a pedestal where he himself claims that everything which is of ‘today’ is better than that of yesterday – but is it?

In a world run by technology and marked with non-stop advancements, our lives seem to be always on the edge. People are in constant move and one is expected to catch up with the speed as fast as light. One wrong move and you will be left behind. Nothing ever stays the same, no, not even change. Stars and planets light years away are now being explored. Illnesses we thought never could be cured are now curable with the field of medicine being advanced more than ever. Everything seemed to be automated – from voice-activated GPS to the personal assistant in your smart phone.

But what happened to us men?

We are left trying to cope with our own ingenuities. We strive to be at the top, to be the one in control – because that is what life taught us, you might say. We are almost always occupied with all things imaginable and what not. We are always in a hurry; always in a rush to get things done. We try to create short cuts only to find ourselves trapped in the end. We tend to be so eager and impatient for seemingly never ending tomorrows to come.

As if being in constant move is not enough, we plastered our smart phones to our hands. Social media sites became the embodiment of ‘friendship’. Today’s generation pioneered in giving ‘likes’ to the homeless yet leave them where they are. We are now predisposed to post status and shout outs whenever we feel like our rights have been violated, always in need to share our opinions and then hide in the guise of it being ‘just’ an opinion and nothing more. We started relying on everything that is of technology. We started to consciously forget how a genuine hug feels and turned to virtual emojis instead. We wholeheartedly chose to leave the art of letter writing behind and embrace electronic mails. We started loving “mundanity” with everything outside our routine being counted as threatening to our sanity.

We live in an era where schools are built and minds left empty; where food presentation is perfected yet ignore those who are dying of hunger; where the need to be heard is more important than to hear. We live today where lives and beliefs are protected by bringing others down; where honesty is being downplayed. We live now yearning for transformation when we, ourselves, are not willing to be changed. To live in the 21st century is to partake in both its glory and shame.

Saint John the Baptist announced in the Gospel the coming of Christ and asked everyone to make His paths straight. It would not hurt if we heed his call and examine how our lives have been. Are we ready to receive Christ this Advent season or are we going to let our complexities get in the way of us returning to the heart of worship?

Prayer

Father, we pray that we may be able to return to You this season of Advent. May we heed St. John’s call to prepare the way for the coming of Your Son. Teach us the path to living simpler lives with the goal of pleasing You alone. May You constantly remind us that we are only temporary dwellers of this world and that we are destined to be with You at Your kingdom forever. Amen.

How do you love God?

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 14, 2013

‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.’
 

First Reading: Deuteronomy 30:10-14

Moses said to the people: ‘Obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping those commandments and laws of his that are written in the Book of this Law, and you shall return to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.

  ‘For this Law that I enjoin on you today is not beyond your strength or beyond your reach. It is not in heaven, so that you need to wonder, “Who will go up to heaven for us and bring it down to us, so that we may hear it and keep it?” Nor is it beyond the seas, so that you need to wonder, “Who will cross the seas for us and bring it back to us, so that we may hear it and keep it?” No, the Word is very near to you, it is in your mouth and in your heart for your observance.’

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 68:14,17,30-31,33-34,36-37

Second Reading: Colossians 1:15-20

Christ Jesus is the image of the unseen God

and the first-born of all creation,

for in him were created

all things in heaven and on earth:

everything visible and everything invisible,

Thrones, Dominations, Sovereignties, Powers –

all things were created through him and for him.

Before anything was created, he existed,

and he holds all things in unity.

Now the Church is his body,

he is its head.

As he is the Beginning,

he was first to be born from the dead,

so that he should be first in every way;

because God wanted all perfection

to be found in him

and all things to be reconciled through him and for him,

everything in heaven and everything on earth,

when he made peace

by his death on the cross.

Gospel: Luke 10:25-37

There was a lawyer who, to disconcert Jesus, stood up and said to him, ‘Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? What do you read there?’ He replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.’ ‘You have answered right,’ said Jesus ‘do this and life is yours.’

 

 But the man was anxious to justify himself and said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of brigands; they took all he had, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead. Now a priest happened to be travelling down the same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite who came to the place saw him, and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan traveller who came upon him was moved with compassion when he saw him. He went up and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then lifted him on to his own mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him. Next day, he took out two denarii and handed them to the innkeeper. “Look after him,” he said “and on my way back I will make good any extra expense you have.” Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbour to the man who fell into the brigands‘ hands?’ ‘The one who took pity on him’ he replied. Jesus said to him, ‘Go, and do the same yourself.'

Reflection

By Mark Rodney Vertido

In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us once more of one of the most popular parables, the Good Samaritan. This ironic story tells us that it is not enough that we know and believe God, we also need to act according to what we believe in.

 

I have experienced the help of a Good Samaritan when I was suddenly struck with a serious illness, Hypokalemia Periodic Paralysis, back in 2009. After the Mass for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, at a Carmelite Monastery, I fell down on my knees and I cannot seem to stand. Some people have seen what happened. It was a very hopeless time, nobody tried to help me. I tried to sit at the side of the gates of the monastery waiting to regain my strength. Time passed and it was already dark.  The monastery is closing already but still nobody helped me even those people I expected to help. Fortunately, a Carmelite nun who is closing the gates came. She saw me and asked me what happened and immediately ran for help. She is my Good Samaritan.

 

The parable clearly points out that those who have religious position or those who think they belong to the chosen people were the ones who did not care about the man on the roadside. Being a Good Samaritan means extending help to people who needs immediate help even if it is against your religious practices. Love should rule the laws that we follow.

 

The Catechism tells us that we live “to know, love, and serve the Lord.” It is not enough to say “I believe in God.” It is not enough to say I love the Lord with all my being. It is not enough that you serve God on Sundays or be in Liturgical services. Jesus clearly states that the greatest of the commandments are one, “to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind” and two, to “love your neighbor as yourself."

 

Loving God means loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. This is faith in action. In the first letter of John it states: “If you say, ‘I love God,’ while you hate your brother or sister, you are a liar. How can you love God whom you do not see, if you do not love your brother whom you see? We received from Him this commandment: let those who love God also love their neighbors,” (cf 1 John 4:20).

 

But how do we love our neighbors? In a world that teaches individualism and focusing on the self always, it is very difficult for many to love their neighbors. There are many ways how to help but let us focus on a very simple way. We start to the persons closest to us, our family. If we cannot even show our love through caring and respecting them, then we cannot go out and help others. It always starts with the family, the basic unit of society.

 

I always stress to my students that the first thing we can do if we want to love others is to respect and to listen. If we respect individuality and others’ situation, then we can start to listen more. If we will only listen to them, we can give the most appropriate help for them. If we cannot do the extraordinary thing because we are also ordinary people, then start little and slowly it will surely grow.

 

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” Christ was incarnated a thousand years ago. And He will continue to be with us if we as believers start to live according to what He taught us. I know that we want to follow Christ in loving God, our Father, and in loving the needy. As we make the sign of the Cross every time we pray, we do not only acknowledge the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, but we also remember the ultimate reason why we live. As your fingers touch your forehead, remember that you live “to know God.” As you touch your heart, remember “to love God.” And as you touch your shoulders, remember “to serve God.” And this service extends to our hands for the sake of our neighbors.

 

Let me end my article by asking you to watch this short video.

·         "Make a Stand"  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ew9ukjF2II

Prayer

Father, please help us to bring You to others through service and acts of kindness. In Jesus' name. Amen.