No Time to be Complacent

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

19 July 2026

 

First Reading: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16

Second Reading: Romans 8:26-27

Gospel: Matthew 13:24-43

 

Reflection

By: Pietro S. Albano

 

Franz Jägerstätter was an Austrian farmer, husband, and father who was beheaded for refusing to serve in the Nazi Army. Commenting on today’s Gospel, he wrote, “If God were to take away the persecutors, there would no longer be martyrs. If God were to remove all struggles from our lives, we would no longer receive the crown of glory.” Indeed, we often discover that God draws a straight line from what seems crooked in the world. Think of the various forms of persecution that Christians such as Franz, Lorenzo Ruiz, Pedro Calungsod, and others down the ages have encountered. These have become avenues for the Word of God to thrive in peoples’ hearts. As Tertullian’s famous saying goes, “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church”.

Living our faith is not easy. The good seed that Jesus sows in the world are constantly challenged by the weeds sown by the devil. Sometimes, we tend to be complacent, especially if we live where practicing our faith is allowed. Imagine living somewhere else where there are few churchgoers or where persecution is staring in front of you. It made me think: Will I let my faith shine through or hide it under a bowl (Mt 5:15)?

Living in Europe for many years made me realize how valuable my faith is. Unlike the churches in the Philippines were there are lots of priests and Sunday Masses and churches are full, here it’s the opposite. I recall Msgr Nestor Cerbo’s prayer when he hosted a farewell party for me: to be a missionary. By God’s grace, I carry on that role in my own small way in our parish.

Today’s Gospel constantly challenges us to remain vigilant and persevering so we can be like the good soil that became fruitful (Mt 13:1-23). We may falter along the journey, but that should not make us disheartened because “the Spirit helps us in our weakness” (Rm 8:26).  

 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, show Your strength in our moments of doubt. Fill us with good hope that we may consistently follow Your Son who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In His Name, we pray. Amen.

Clearing to be Fruitful

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

12 July 2026

 

First Reading: Isaiah 55:10-11

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14

Second Reading: Romans 8:18-23

Gospel: Matthew 13:1-23

 

Reflection

By: Pietro S. Albano

 

In the Second Reading, Saint Paul tells us that all creation awaits with eager expectation...(to) be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God (Rom 8:19-21). We are all part of that creation. In the past, we may have heard God's Word, but it did not grow in us due to our lack of understanding. Perhaps we may have initially received it ningas kugon, but trials overtook us. Or we may have been distracted by the cares of ambition, money, power, or pleasure that there is no room for the Word to thrive in us. Yet, there is hope that we would be fruitful as long as we keep on listening to the Lord.

When we moved to our current home 12 years ago, we planned to put some plants on the front and back gardens. Before we could do so, we cleared the space otherwise the seeds we sow or the plants we put won't grow. We kept ourselves vigilant too with those nasty weeds that keep on coming. This clearing holds true for God's Word too. If we want it to take root in our hearts, we must allow God to make our hearts fertile and fruitful (Is 55:10). We must also weed out any distractions such as sin, vice, idleness, gossip, etc. that would hinder us from bearing fruit and yielding a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold (cf. Mt 134:18).

Prayer

Loving Father, You generously sowed Your Word into our hearts but because of our failure to listen, this has not grown into fruition. Clear our hearts of any weeds that would prevent us from becoming fruitful. Help us to be vigilant to protect the holiness in us. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

    

First Sunday of Lent

26 February 2023

 

First Reading: Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7

Responsorial Psalm: PS 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17

Second Reading: Rom 5:12, 17-19

Gospel: Mt 4:1-11

 

Reflection

By: Benj Santiago

 

At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil...One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God."

Today is the first Sunday of Lent. The first reading reminds me of the "original sin" the sin committed by Adam and Eve at the garden in Eden. Eve was tricked by the serpent to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge. In the Gospel reading, Jesus went through three temptations. First one was again about satisfying hunger. But unlike Adam and Eve, Jesus did not fail into the temptation of the devil. Jesus was able to rebuke the devil by the power of "what was written" or the WORD OF GOD.

Every day of our lives is filled with temptations to be tricked by the devil to do something that is not according to HIS Words. Temptations to be concerned with material possession, wealth, power, and prestige for selfish motives. We are surrounded by people who are obsessed with wealth, position, and power that influences and tempts us to do the same. As we begin our Lenten Season this year, I pray that like Jesus who possesses all the power and glory as the Son of God; we won't be tempted to love money or material wealth, to usurp our position and power for personal gains. But instead we use our wealth and power for service of others and to worship the Lord!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we praise and glorify You. We give You thanks for all the provisions You have given us. We pray that as we enter the Lenten Season that we fast, abstain, and pray like Jesus. Amen.

Stop, Listen, Pray

   

  Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

17 July 2022 

 

First Reading: Gn 18:1-10a

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 5

Second Reading: Col 1:24-28

Gospel: Lk 10:38-42

 

Reflection

By: Benj Santiago

 

"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. ⁴²There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."

Are you BUSY? What are you so busying about? Undeniably, I myself had been busy and anxious with so many things, even though I am just home most of the time. Busy thinking and doing something that concerns our day-to-day needs. We all tend to be "Martha."

Our tendency is not to slow down and not to find more time to be like Mary, the sister of Martha to sit and to listen to what the Lord is saying to us. We are all so busy of the matters of the world that we tend to forget the matter of the WORD of God. To make sure we indeed have time for the Word of God, my wife, Fely and I have our daily TV Mass and end the day with a Holy Rosary. It is our way of making sure we counter the busyness of this world.

Prayer

Lord, bless us with the heart of Mary, the sister of Martha, who recognized what is truly important versus the matters of the world. Inspire us to slow down and find time to listen to Your WORDS every day. Slow us down so we can settle and listen more than be pre-occupied with the concerns of the world. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

The Word Alive

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

24 January 2021 

 

First Reading:  JON 3:1-5, 10

Responsorial Psalm:  PS 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

Second Reading:  1 COR 7:29-31

Gospel:  MK 1:14-20

 

Reflection

By: Pietro S Albano

When Deacon Martyn Swaby (our parish deacon) was ordained, the bishop placed the Book of Gospels in Martyn’s hands and said “Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.” Regardless of our vocation, we too are called to become heralds of the Gospel. In our participation in the liturgy or in our own private prayer, we read or listen to God’s Word. And because it is God’s Word and no one else’s, we believe in it, we put our trust in it. Like any gift, God’s Word must be shared. We must teach it to those around us. It could be our family, colleagues, clients, or even strangers. Sharing the Word would be useless if we do not live it. Living it requires humility and openness like what Simon, Andrew, James, and John had shown when Jesus called them to follow Him to become fishers of people. Witnessing to it requires that zeal in one’s heart like the hearts of those two disciples who initially failed to recognise Jesus as they travelled to Emmaus. As we celebrate Sunday of the Word of God, let us ask for the grace to become God’s Living Word to win more souls for Christ.

• ·         What is the role of God’s Word in your life?
• · Have you considered becoming a permanent deacon, lector/commentator, catechist, or a God-speak writer in our web? Why or why not?
• ·    The Sunday of the Word of God is celebrated near the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (18^th -25^th January) and Holocaust Memorial Day (27^th January). How can the Word of God be an instrument of unity among peoples, Christians and non-Christians alike?

 

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word today. Open our minds to understand the Scriptures. Open our hearts to welcome its message of unity. Amen. 

 

 

 

The Word Alive

First Reading: Nehemiah 8:2-4, 5-6, 8-10

And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden pulpit which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithi'ah, Shema, Anai'ah, Uri'ah, Hilki'ah, and Ma-asei'ah on his right hand; and Pedai'ah, Mish'a-el, Malchi'jah, Hashum, Hash-bad'danah, Zechari'ah, and Meshul'lam on his left hand.

And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people; and when he opened it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God; and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands; and they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. And they read from the book, from the law of God, clearly; and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

And Nehemi'ah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.

Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Psalm: Psalm 19:8-10, 15

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 or 12:12-14, 27

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body -- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free -- and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?

But as it is, God arranged the organs in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single organ, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." On the contrary, the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those parts of the body which we think less honorable we invest with the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior part, that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.

If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

Gospel: Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a report concerning him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the sabbath day. And he stood up to read; and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written, " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

Reflection
By Pietro S Albano

The Mass is divided into 2 important parts: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  In the Liturgy of the Word,  the Word of God (as contained in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible) is proclaimed (First/Second Readings and Gospel), explained (Homily), and given assent to (Profession of Faith).  In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the bread and wine are offered, consecrated to become the Body and Blood of Jesus, and distributed in Holy Communion.

Sunday after Sunday, holyday after holyday, special occasion after special occasion we may have often found ourselves in church gathered with our family and other believers to listen to God's Word proclaimed in the Mass.  Are we as attentive and devout as the Israelites were in the First Reading?  When we are in church, do our celebration give us a sense of belongingness to one body - as envisioned in the Second Reading - even if we don't really know the person sat next to us?

We have often equated our attendance in the Mass as obligation.  Sometimes, this kind of mindset gives us and others (the young especially) the wrong notion of going to church.  Going to church becomes sapilitan (by force).  Instead of obligation, why not see the Mass as an act of love? Isn't it that if you love someone (in this case, Jesus), you would do everything to know more and be with your beloved?  If we foster this kind of thinking, I believe we can become more open to the Holy Spirit who will empower us like Jesus "...to preach good news to the poor...to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord". Eventually, God's Word would no longer be confined in a thick book, but come alive in us!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, give us the grace we need to humbly receive and ponder Your Word.  Gather us as one body working together to bring Your Word to those in need of its healing and power.  Grant this through Jesus, Your Word-made-Flesh and our Lord. Amen.