Call to Love

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

13 July 2025

 

First Reading: Deuteronomy 30:10-14

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37

Second Reading: Colossians 1:15-20

Gospel: Luke 10:25-37

 

Reflection

By: Fely Santiago

 

"What must I do to inherit eternal life?

What are we really here for on earth? Why am I where I am right now? Have we ever asked these questions? Whatever stages we are in our lives – finishing a degree, starting a career, starting a family, nearing retirement, retired and already in the last season of our life we need to ask these questions? For after all our purpose in life is really to gain eternal life with the Lord. Our lives here on earth is temporary. And in the gospel today the Lord has given us guidelines on how we can inherit eternal life. It boils down to LOVE. Loving God and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. Yes we have to love ourselves because we cannot give what we don’t have. If we don’t love ourselves we can never give love to our neighbor. And yes the world needs love. The world needs a lot of compassion as many people right now don’t feel loved and worthy.

How then can we show our love to others? As simple as listening to them, caring for them and just being there for them. It can start at home with our loved ones, in the office, in the community and even in the department store, in the bank, wherever we are. Just be aware of how we can show love to one another by being kind, patient and understanding. The world needs love.

Prayer

Dear Lord,  As I spend time with You I am aware of how blessed I truly am to be loved by You. I think of Your love and Your mercy and how it has helped us overcome all the challenges in life. Thank You for always being there for me Lord and may I also share this love to others.  Give me the grace to always have a loving and compassionate heart especially to those in need. In the mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

A Limited Time Offer

    

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

15 October 2023

 

First Reading: Is 25:6-10a

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

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

Gospel: Mt 22:1-14

 

Reflection

By: Anton Ocampo

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer

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

The Bread of Life

Eighteenth Sunday in

Ordinary Time

01 August 2021 

 

First Reading: EX 16:2-4, 12-15

Responsorial Psalm: PS 78:3-4, 23-24, 25, 54

Second Reading: EPH 4:17, 20-24

Gospel: JN 6:24-35

 

Reflection

By: Gary Tulabut

 

In one article or another, I have shared about the time when I was a young 10-year-old apprentice of the Knights of the Blessed Sacrament. I remember vividly when we were asked by our elders in the group what our reason was for joining the organization of altar servers. Our answer, almost in unison was, "To serve Jesus." I know most of us do not really understood what those words really meant. In fact, some leaders in that meeting even asked us again, "Are you sure it's not about the girls?"

We might have different motives in serving, not only as little kids then but, even as grown ups. This is probably the reason why different strategies are still deployed just to attract attendees to, let's say, charismatic communities. Some are attracted to loud live-band-led worship accompanied by beautiful lights in an airconditioned hall. Some are attracted to the wonderful talks delivered by charismatic speakers. Some are looking for new acquaintances, or someone to share life stories with. Still, some would only attend because there is free food or unlimited coffee.

Today in the Gospel, Jesus said to the crowd that were following Him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw the signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal." (John 6:26-27)

The reasons that I enumerated above may seem to look like the food that perishes. But God sometimes may use them to lead us to the food that endures for eternal life.

 

Prayer

 

Holy Spirit, guide us to seek not only the food that perishes, but lead us to the Bread of Life. Amen.

 

 

Relearn, Rethink, Rectify

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 12 July 2020
First reading Isaiah 55:10-11

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Second reading                                                          Romans 8:18-23

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

Gospel                                                                          Matthew 13:1-23

Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!”

Then the disciples came and asked him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’ With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: ‘You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn-and I would heal them.’

“But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.

“Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”


Reflection

By Jose Paulo Gonzales

It may be a little difficult to digest the reading for today because there are stern warnings about how we ought to act. Some have grown up set in their ways, although for people willing to be molded by God, Gospels like this come as a point to relearn; to rethink and rectify their ways.

In today’s Gospel, there are four ways to be: the first group consists of those who do not understand what the Kingdom of God is. The Kingdom of God has been likened to multiple parables, instead of being given directly, perhaps because its eternal reality would not be given justice by worldly analogies requiring definitive descriptions; but in our Catechism classes, we learn that the Kingdom of God is the reign of God. The reality of the reign of God may fly over the minds of some because of the allurements of the world—the temptations that snatch one away from understanding what is truly essential, and the deceit of the evil one—diversions the enemy uses for God’s people to have skewed perceptions of the Word. The people who do not understand make up the first group Jesus described.

Before we go off-tangent on what today’s Gospel means by those who do not understand, let us think about this some more. To understand may be a passive ability for some people. For some who are smart, to understand may come very easily. But what today’s Gospel means by those who do not understand are not those who cannot wrap their minds around God’s Word by will or ability. As eternally mysterious God is, no one can fully wrap his mind around God’s reality. What today’s Gospel means by those who do not understand are those who consciously close themselves off to God’s Word. To one who lacks understanding but is willing, the Bible says: the wisdom of the Lord comes generously to one who asks (James 1:5). If there is something we can learn from the first group, it is to repent, to be open, and to be malleable to God’s Word.

The second group consists of those who warmed up to the Word of God instantly, but as quickly as their joy came, their disinterest soon followed. This is because their interest was not made to develop roots. Those who do not solidify their relationship with God can be likened to the man who built his house on sand, not rock. The storm came, and his foundation soon faltered (Matthew 7:24-27). When one does not center his identity on God, he runs the risk of being swept all too easily by the machinations of the enemy. Hardships in this world and persecution from others may be enough to sway him from the faith. The second group reminds us to nurture and strengthen our relationship with God and His Word; To identify ourselves with Him faithfully.

The third group is made up of those who, while receptive to God’s Word, just like those in the second group, were swept easily by the cares of this world. This tendency for us to bombarded by the cares of this world may be difficult to detect because unlike other sins, it does not seem just as evil. It appears harmless. And this is why we should stand on-guard just the same. When we are snowed under with bills to pay, debts to reconcile, or other worldly concerns, it may be tempting to build a life centered on finances to insulate or protect us. But as the Kingdom of God is eternal, so we should set our sights, hearts, and minds on the eternality of God; everything of this world is transitory. God offers that which transcends anything of this world.

The first, second, and the third groups are not there simply for us to feel mighty over or demean, as when we fall on our guards, we could fall just as badly into the same behaviors. We are given these groups to signify what not to be, all the while savoring and emulating the fourth group—what we should be. 


The fourth group is made up of the fruitful ones. These are the people who receive God’s Word, act on the Word, and bear fruit. These may be challenging to bear but rewarding and fulfilling to accomplish. It may be difficult an effort, but we have the Spirit who gives us strength to surpass ourselves and do the feats God calls us to carry out. Let us call out to God to help us in our need.

Prayer

Abba, thank You that besides the fourth group in today’s Gospel, You gave us Jesus—the true model of faith and good works whom we should emulate. Thank You, also, for revealing to us Your Kingdom, so we could wait for it with good works and a joyfully expectant hope.

You have given us multiple stories that invite us all the more to anticipate the eternal life we are to share with You; please help us be like Jesus, growing to be more worthy of this promise as we take our walk in life.

You are glorious, Lord, and eternally loving; for these, may we be ever grateful.

In Jesus’ most holy Name, Amen.

The Harvest

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 07 July 2019
First reading Isaiah 66:10-14

Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her;
rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her,
that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast;
that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious bosom.

For thus says the Lord: I will extend prosperity to her like river,
and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream;
and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm,
and dandled on her knees.

As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you;
you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice;
your bodies shall flourish like the grass;
and it shall be known that the hand of the Lord is with his servants,
and his indignation is against his enemies.

Second reading                                                          Galatians 6:14-18

May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything!

As for those who will follow this rule – peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. From now on, let nobody make trouble for me; for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

Gospel                                                                         Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

The Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet nobody on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the labourer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.'”

But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ And I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.

The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Reflection

By Jose Paulo M. Gonzales

Is it not worth celebrating how plentiful the Lord’s harvest is? However, is it not regrettable how only few are willing to work for it? Perhaps the reason why only few are willing to work for such a bounty is because it may be difficult to grasp how great a gift the Lord’s harvest is. What does this harvest mean by the way?

In its simplest form, the Lord’s harvest can be likened to the things we see every day. We have food on the table, roof on our heads, parents who love us and work hard to send us to school, friends to go with us in our day-to-day tasks, money to pay our daily expenses, cell phones and the internet to make connecting with family and friends easier, and many other things.

These blessings help us realize how great a provider God is. However, the harvest of God stretches far beyond our experience here on earth. Ultimately, God’s harvest is eternal life in Christ. In Biblical terms, it is the Kingdom of God.

It takes many parables to explain the Kingdom of God. Jesus used seven (six in Matthew 13 and one in Mark 4), but the overarching truth is that it is both here in the now, and it is yet to come.

We uphold the Kingdom of God as we live for Christ here on earth as His Church, anticipating our lives in heaven as we live heaven here on earth, all with our heavenly virtues, but we are yet to realize its fullness–the ultimate prize when we enter eternity with Him.

With such an eternal reward, it is not surprising why God alerts us to those that may try to tear us away from our heavenly prize. In the Gospel for today, we are alerted to wolves. Applied broadly, wolves can be anything from events to people who make it difficult to spread the message of God’s harvest.

Internally, there may be hesitation to spread God’s Word when others look more fit and qualified to evangelize. Externally, before we leave our home, there may be many chores that render us helpless in thinking it is impossible to squeeze into our daily schedules our proclamation of God’s harvest.

Before we make it outside the driveway, our car may have already broken down. In our commutes, the vehicle we ride on may encounter problems of different sorts.

Other people can also hinder in spreading God’s Word. In the Gospel, some might not welcome us when they recognize the Word we are to share. To those who would welcome us, however, “The Kingdom of God is very near to you” (Luke 10:9).

To the unwelcoming, God told whom He sent to simply shake the dust off their feet and proceed. To us, this means not to take rejection personally and proceed with our proclamation, so we don’t fall into the sin of harboring anger and being unforgiving.

It is not always the case that people reject God’s Word out rightly. Sometimes, people suffer different blows in life that make it heavy a task to receive the message at present.

To these brothers and sisters, also to us, God’s goodness and mercy stand available, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” (Hebrews 4:15).

In consolation, in our revelation of the Word, rejection is nothing new, even to our brethren in the olden days: to the prophets and the disciples, and even to Jesus Christ.

As we proclaim God’s Word, what drives us aside from God’s grace, first and foremost, is our realization of how incredible the eternal prize of God’s harvest is. Even if we do not understand in full the breadth and depth of this harvest as the Lord’s mysteries transcend the transitory, when we relay to others how great this reward is, the beauty of our wonder already stands as an authentic witness. People are interested in hearing sincere testimonies.

“In this world you will have trouble”, God said. “But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33).

Truly, when we proclaim God’s Word, some events and people may bring impediments. But in our perseverance, there is God’s grace: even the devils submitted to the disciples at the mention of Jesus’ Name (Luke 10:17).

Surely, there are victories in God to celebrate here on earth. And God reminds us not to lose sight of the eternal, because a bigger cause for rejoicing is at hand: Our names are written in Heaven (Luke 10:20).

Prayer

Lord God, gracious Giver of the bountiful harvest, thank You for Your message today. Thank You very much for the ultimate harvest–eternal life. Though undeserving sheep we are, You still give unsparingly.

Please never exhaust in Your mercy to accept us as we repent, at even the slightest sign of remorse.

Please grant us the grace to see the tremendous value in Your harvest, so we are innately motivated to pursue its revelation to others, especially when motivations from outside—from events or people—are difficult to come by.

Please open the hearts, minds, and spirits of whom we are to share Your Word, so they accept and live It fully, and that in their jubilation, they share Your Word with others, too.

When it is difficult to spread Your Word, please grant us the patience not to give up. Please also send people to help and inspire us on the way. Please let the sight of their—and even our—reconciliation with You be a good motivator for us to continue sharing Your Word.

For those who find it difficult to accept Your message now because of a rough patch in life, please grant us the grace to be patient with them, the understanding to heed their wounds, and the love for them so we deal with them with utmost gentleness and care. Please enable in us hearts that respect their pace of healing, so that we do not worsen their pain.

May You come to the hurting so that they heal once and for all, so that they can live the life You want them to live.

Thank You, Father, and may You be glorified forever, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Are You Leaving Too?

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

26 August 2018

First reading                                                                   Joshua 24:1-2
Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors-Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor-lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods.

Second reading                                                     Ephesians 5:21-32

Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Savior. Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, so as to present the church to himself in splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind-yes, so that she may be holy and without blemish. In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, because we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church.

Gospel                                                                     John  6:60-69

Many of the disciples of Jesus remarked, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.”

For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.” Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?”

Reflection

By Jessa Janelle Padilla

Who are we going to serve?  To whom would we commit? These are the questions that we need to ask ourselves based on our readings for today.

In our current situation, most people opt to serve those who are in power in order to obtain a little power. They disregard their morality and dignity just to serve them. The term ‘yes-person’ is so much used nowadays. But is it worth it? Are they happy and fulfilled? I think no, because only by serving the Lord can grant us happiness and make us fulfilled.

In my own perspective, I am not in favor of serving other gods other than our Savior Jesus Christ. I am not fond serving those in power. I don’t want to be a yes-person in order to gain power and popularity. I don’t want to disregard my morality and dignity to serve them. I am willing to serve those who are incapable and powerless since they are the representation of God here on earth. They are the ones who are most in need of our service. As a government employee, I took an oath to serve the people and their welfare.

                

In terms of commitment, I am now committed to serving the Church regardless of how busy my schedule is. I am devoting my day-off to serve Him as long as He permits me to do so.  He is my top priority and I am willing to cancel my schedule when He calls me. Just like one Sunday afternoon, my mother, my best friend, and I were hanging out in Ocean Park and I received a text message from my co-lector that they are in need of my help since the one who is scheduled to serve the last mass in the Cathedral is not available. I responded yes immediately since I believed that wherever I am or whatever I do, when He calls me I must respond yes to Him.

In our Second reading for today it reminds us especially those were joined by Him in marriage to be submissive to one another: to love and cherish each other as how God does to the Church. He reminds us that the two persons that He bond through marriage will become one flesh. Two persons as one just like Him and the Church. A great mystery that only those with a deep faith believes. Once we commit ourselves to somebody, we should be aware that we are being one with them.

In our Gospel reading, Jesus asks His twelve disciples if they also want to leave Him just like the other disciples who returned to their former way of life after hearing His words. If Jesus would ask us the same question, what would be our response to Him? Are we going to abandon Him or keep on following Him? Nowadays, some Christians are abandoning the Church because of lack of faith, influence of peers or some untoward incident such as the clerical sexual abuse and cover-ups in various parts of the world. Who would we blame that such incident happened? Is it God or ourselves? As Christians we should look after our fellow Christians and be responsible to keep their faith to God burning in their hearts, leading them in the right path and continue nourishing each other’s spiritual life. Let us not abandon each other so that we will all together serve, follow, and preach His words. Like Peter, let's affirm in our daily lives that Jesus alone has the words of eternal life. Let our lives tell others that we have come to believe and are convinced that He is the Holy One of God.

Prayer

Lord, Jesus Christ, we thank You most sincerely on giving us the chance to serve You. Humble our hearts to serve those who are badly in need of our help. May You guide us in choosing whom we will commit and serve. And may we serve You with utmost loyalty and sincerity. United with the Blessed Virgin Mary we make this prayer. Amen.

Blessed are We!

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ 

18 June 2017

First reading                                                                                               Deuteronomy 8:2-3,14-16

Moses said to the people: ‘Remember how the Lord your God led you for forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, to test you and know your inmost heart – whether you would keep his commandments or not. He humbled you, he made you feel hunger, he fed you with manna which neither you nor your fathers had known, to make you understand that man does not live on bread alone but that man lives on everything that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
  ‘Do not become proud of heart. Do not forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery: who guided you through this vast and dreadful wilderness, a land of fiery serpents, scorpions, thirst; who in this waterless place brought you water from the hardest rock; who in this wilderness fed you with manna that your fathers had not known.’

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Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 147:12-15,19-20

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Second reading	1 Corinthians 10:16-17

The blessing-cup that we bless is a communion with the blood of Christ, and the bread that we break is a communion with the body of Christ. The fact that there is only one loaf means that, though there are many of us, we form a single body because we all have a share in this one loaf.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the living bread which has come down from heaven,
says the Lord.
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.
Alleluia!

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Gospel	John 6:51-58

Jesus said to the crowd:
‘I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever;
and the bread that I shall give is my flesh,
for the life of the world.’
Then the Jews started arguing with one another: ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ they said. Jesus replied:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you will not have life in you.
Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood
has eternal life,
and I shall raise him up on the last day.
For my flesh is real food
and my blood is real drink.
He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood
lives in me
and I live in him.
As I, who am sent by the living Father,
myself draw life from the Father,
so whoever eats me will draw life from me.
This is the bread come down from heaven;
not like the bread our ancestors ate:
they are dead,
but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.’

Reflection

by Benj Santiago

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

In the Last supper, Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist and instructed the Apostles to do it over and over in remembrance of Him. This event makes it more clear how the apostles (and their successors) will execute the teaching Jesus spoke to the Jews in today's Gospel.

Imagine if we were part of the crowd whom Jesus spoke to. Telling us that salvation and eternal life can only be attained by drinking His Blood and eating His Flesh! I guess we would react the same way as the Jews who were present. But I believe that Jesus wants to show how much He loves us that He is willing to give His life for all of us. He wants to show us that God cares for all of us.

And we are so blessed as Catholics for the institution of the Holy Eucharist. It allows us to perpetually commemorate the Last  Supper where we are able to eat the Body and drink the Blood of Christ in the form of Bread and Wine. We are so blessed that we can partake of His Body and Blood every time we go to Mass. An opportunity for us to receive the love of the Lord that will bring us to eternal life.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for coming down from heaven to offer Your Body and Blood as our food and drink so that we can have an everlasting life. We thank You for Your presence in the Holy Eucharist as a manifestation of Your Father’s Love for all of us. We pray that with Your Holy Blood you will cleanse away all our sins, and by Your Holy Body, we can all be united in peace. We ask this through the most holy intercession of our Mother Mary . Amen.

Life, Hope, Resurrection

First Reading: Ez 37:12-14

Thus says the Lord GOD:

O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the LORD.

I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

Second Reading: Rom 8:8-11

Brothers and sisters:

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit dwelling in you.

Verse Before the Gospel: Jn 11:25a, 26

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will never die.

Gospel: Jn 11:1-45

Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was ill. So the sisters sent word to him saying, "Master, the one you love is ill." then Jesus heard this he said, "This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea." The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in a day? If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." He said this, and then told them, "Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him." So the disciples said to him, "Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved." But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. So then Jesus said to them clearly, "Lazarus has died. And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him." So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go to die with him."

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away. And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." Martha said to him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day."

Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."

When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, "The teacher is here and is asking for you." As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly and went to him. For Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still where Martha had met him. So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw Mary get up quickly and go out, they followed her, presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Sir, come and see." And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, "See how he loved him." But some of them said, "Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?" So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.

Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the dead man's sister, said to him, "Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me." And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"

The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, "Untie him and let him go."

Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

Reflection
By Carlo Alexis Malaluan

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26)

These are the consoling and comforting words of Jesus to Martha who was engulfed in grief and sadness upon the death of her brother, Lazarus. The Lord heard the cry of the bereaved, the Lord saw the pain in their eyes, the longing in their hearts, He had compassion for them.

The gospel today is the story of an encounter between the God of compassion and the human person in pain, between the author of Life and the victim of death. Martha asked for the help of the Lord and our Lord answered her call, deeply moved by the suffering of His friend. Jesus shared in her sorrow; he lifted up the heavy cross weighing on her shoulders.

We all have our moments of pain. Life has its twists and turns, ups and downs, bright spots and dark side. Whatever we do, whoever we are, we shall all stumble upon the cross. The Catechism of the Catholic Church has pictured a moving yet real scene of what pain is. “In illness, man experiences his powerlessness, his limitations, and his finitude”. The fragility of human life and the experience of our own weakness lead us to a full communion with God.

It is not easy to describe the feeling of pain and of sorrow, but we all know what it feels like. In sorrow we are in communion and God partakes in this human experience - the Divine shares in the experience of mere mortals.

This human experience of pain and suffering draws our attention to God. Like Martha, we are hopeless. We cry in anguish, in bitterness, in pessimism. Our vision of hope is obscure. We are fainthearted people. You yourself perhaps heave sighs of despair in the face of what appears an enormous tragedy in your life. But the gospel is a most powerful tool to restore our confidence in God amidst our hopelessness. Yes! Christ’s miracle of resurrecting Lazarus is a call for us to be happy and optimistic! Despite of the anguish, of desperation and of confusion ever present in the world today, we need to firm up our hope because Jesus stands by everyone who trusts in Him.

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, hope is defined as the virtue that "responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man". And our hope is rooted in Christ! Why do we continue to hope? Because we are assured by Christ Himself. There is this constant voice that keeps on telling us not to fear but to be in His power. This is what keeps us moving forward. We are assured that in the face of pain and suffering, Christ is with us – carrying the cross, our burden, with us.

Suffering and pain are indeed inevitable parts of our human experience, but it is also true that the Lord of Life is with us – in Him, there is life! In Him, there is hope! In Him, there is resurrection!

Prayer


Lord Jesus, our life, our hope, and our resurrection, we praise and thank You for defeating sin and death. Strengthen us in our suffering and pain so that we too may proclaim Your compassion to "those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death". To You be glory and honor forever and ever. Amen