Jesus' Salvivic Sacrifice

Second Sunday of Lent

28 February 2021 

 

First Reading:  GN 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18

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

Second Reading:  ROM 8:31b-34

Gospel:  MK 9:2-10

 

Reflection

By: Jose Paulo M. Gonzales

 

Today, we behold the story of Jesus' magnificent Transfiguration. Jesus, spending many of His human days with the apostles, had miracles of prophecy, healing, and deliverance to hint at the apostles His divine reality, but in the Transfiguration, Jesus' divinity takes to another degree. At such moment, Jesus transformed before the apostles lucidly so mystically! I can only imagine how incredible a sight it was for the apostles to behold!

The placement of Jesus amid Moses and Elijah, would you believe it has a rather popular and interesting interpretation? It was not arbitrary. To have Jesus situated deliberately in the midst of the two signifies His being culmination of what they represented: Moses, the Law, and Elijah, the Prophets!

In the Transfiguration, God the Father greatly extolled Christ the same way Christ was exulted in His Baptism. In Jesus' Baptism, the Father called Jesus "the Son whom [He] loves, with whom He is well-pleased" (Matthew 3:17). In the Transfiguration, Jesus was held as the Beloved Son, whom we should listen to" (Mark 9:6). It is clear as day in the Transfiguration how to Jesus, we must be all ears, but also minds, hearts, and souls.

Apart from listening, God also assigns us the task of evangelization. He may have told the apostles to observe silence as regards the Transfiguration, but He told them to proclaim Jesus' resurrection. Jesus' Transfiguration gave the apostles a glimpse at His God Nature, with His Ascension to the Father, soon to follow the Transfiguration, meaning we have a Great Advocate to speak to the Father on our behalf (as our Representative) and in our behalf (for our benefit); but it was Jesus' Passion and Resurrection in the first place that meant: in His death and triumph over it, we have One whose sacrifice pays ultimately for our sins. In the Bible,"the wages of sin is death", (Romans 6:23) and to exonerate the guilt, a sacrifice must be paid. Jesus is the eternal Price paid for the cost of our sins—multiple generations of them—would have incurred. This is why it is understandably  apparent the necessity to spread His salvivic Resurrection.

 

Prayer

 

Jesus, thank You for dying for us on the cross and for rising to life. It is with Your triumph over death that we have life. May the life You promise us in heaven afforded by Your sacrifice move us to be cultivators of good here on earth, and as we complete our good work, may we enjoy the fruits of our labors in heaven with You for eternity. Please always be with us and replenish us in our work of spreading You and Your good work. We ask these, in Jesus' most holy Name, Amen.

 

 

 

Resist Temptations Like Jesus

First Sunday of Lent

21 February 2021 

 

First Reading:  GN 9:8-15

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

Second Reading:  1 PT 3:18-22

Gospel:  MK 1:12-15

 

Reflection

By: Jose Paulo M. Gonzales

 

Clear today in the Gospel is how, though God and Human, Jesus was tempted no less than by the enemy. As Matthew 4:1-11 recounts elaborately, the scene first takes place in a desert—a barren land. Jesus was hungry after fasting for forty days and nights, so the enemy thought that it was perfect recipe for disaster. He showed himself to the Lord and said: "If You are the Son of Man, command that these stones turn into loaves of bread."  But Jesus unperturbed, responded: "It is written: one does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God." And so passed the first temptation.

 

The story was much the same for the second and the third temptations. In the second, on top of a synagogue, the devil goaded Jesus to throw Himself down, for the angels of the Father would surely come to His protection "lest He dash His foot against a stone." Jesus said back: "Again it is written, you shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test."

 

In the third temptation, the devil took his brazenness to the brim. Looking down a mountaintop, gazing at the magnificent properties sprawled across the land, he told Jesus to swear allegiance to him instead of the Father. Jesus, with character confidence, retorted: "Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship, and Him alone shall you serve."  The devil left Jesus, convinced finally that our Lord cannot be moved the other way.

 

Such is the obstinacy of sin: it is not content with us, humans. It insists on spreading its teasing—its temptations—even in the face of our Lord in His humanity; but the marvel is how unlike us, Jesus did not waver.

 

Daily tussles with life would prod us over and over to succumb. Struggles of varying degrees would compel us to relinquish integrity: to sin as if deplorably, so inevitably, to live. So is the dark side of human nature: in its limitlessness, it looks to circumventing rules in its exhaustion of ways to subsist—to barely live, more so with uprightness.

 

This is no condonement to sin when one gives in to temptation, but it is not like we have a God who does not understand. He took on human form here on earth. He occupied the same flesh as we did, and was subject to the same fleshly limitations. He knows what we are—who we are, and how far down we can fall in desolation. But though subjected to temptation just the same, unlike us, Jesus did not sin. We can only hope to be like Jesus through the persistent struggle to be good, but in that endeavor, we are not fallible. So let us take to Jesus to help us in our ordeal and to forgive in times of need, "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)

 

As if the temptation stopped with the third, the Gospel today provides us with an apparent fourth that also could have urged Jesus to surrender. John was apprehended by the officials, and this could have been cause enough scare to flee and desist from spreading the Gospel; but similar to the first, second, and third temptations, Jesus was unswerving to the devil's machinations. He continued His evangelization of the Gospel. "This  is the time of  fulfillment," Jesus said. "The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel." (Mark 1:15)

Prayer

 

Jesus, amid temptation, please help us to become like You, unbending as much as possible. In the times when we fall, please extend us Your forgiveness and restoration. Please help us to turn down sin and its temptations. Please help us spread Your word, our ultimate Mission. In Your Most Holy Name, o Jesus, Amen.

 

 

 

Jesus, The Great Healer and Evangelizer!

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

07 February 2021 

 

First Reading:  JB 7:1-4, 6-7

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

Second Reading:  1 COR 9:16-19, 22-23

Gospel:  MK 1:2939

 

Reflection

By: Jose Paulo M. Gonzales

 

Three accounts, one divine reality. The Jesus that we see today is He who brings miraculous healing.

Jesus has been called many things: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), but one that greatly tantalizes people unto Him at a pace so instant is His being the "Great Healer." As a child, I remember how my mother would tuck me into bed. On nights she would feel a fever running up my body, as she places her hand on my forehead to see how high the fever likely is, she would remind me, "Jesus is the Greatest Physician."

 

There are only few things that can uplift the human condition so significantly--so instantly than miraculous healing. This is why it is understandable how for some people, as far-off from the faith they may have appeared before, we hear stories of radical conversion. As incredible as the healing is, the amazement towards God, which can bring about the radical conversion, can also be.

Jesus needed only little to make healing happen. In the Gospel we read, it was only the hand of Simon's mother. As He helped her up, the fever left her. In Matthew 9:20-22, twelve years of bleeding made no impediment of God's ability to heal. It was only hem if His garment the woman in distress needed touching--only so slightly--and twelve years of bleeding--now gone! In John 5, there was a man gazing upon the pool of Bethesda. He was regretful upon thinking how for many years, he could never manage to go into the pool for many who were much more able-bodied than he was  would go first. And then came Jesus' healing words: "Get up, pick up your mat, and go."

 

In these instances of healing, it is common to hear Jesus saying something along the lines of: "Go, your faith has healed you;"  but truth be told. Even our ability to believe can falter. Differing experiences every day could bring us to felicitous speaks, but to also disheartening troughs. Would God be any less able to heal us if we fall short on faith? I, for one, believe that God can heal independently of our faith. He precedes us; it is His breath that willed us into existence. His abilities surpass our abilities, and more so, our shortcomings. I believe that God can work well beyond our ability or inability to believe, for past our ability to believe is His innately unconquerable love. So why does God say that it is the woman's faith that healed her? Why do we believe that it is our faith that heals? It may be that while God is ever able to heal us with less regard to where we are in life, strong in faith or not, bearing in mind that it is well in God's ability to implant in us the faith we need, the faith that we muster ourselves can serve as the "door" that signals our assent to the Lord. In other words, our faith can either accept or reject God's healing, as willing as He is--ever!--to administer it.

The reality of faith is beyond me. While I may not fully understand what the relationship is between our faith and God's miraculous healing, it is my hope that God would help us cultivate strong faith, nonetheless. For if God said we can move mountains even with faith the size of a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20), who knows that astounding realities our faith can make happen if God breathes his miracles into it?

After doing great feats of healing, it is admirable how Jesus took to prayer. Such was His relationship with the Father that Jesus culminated His healings with His communication with the Father. Along with Jesus healing many from their predicaments, He delivered the Good News. Jesus met healing and evangelization together--both parts of His ministry--faith and works intertwined! Commendable in healing ability, also in fulfilling responsibility. This is the Jesus we love and serve.

 

Prayer

 

Jesus, help us cultivate strong faith, so we can enable Your healing to happen in us and others. May this healing bring us closer to You. In our testimonies, may the healing experience bring others closer to You.

 

Please help us also make good with our responsibilities as You did. Please help us in our undertakings and may we never fail to fulfill our responsibility to spread Your Good Word.

In Your most Holy Name, Jesus, Amen.

 

 

Reassurance

Third Sunday of Advent
15 December 2019

First reading                                                                    Isaiah 11:1-10
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

Second reading                                                    Romans 15:4-9

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God so that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name.”

Gospel                                                                     Matthew 3:1-12

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'”

Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Reflection

By Theresa Ballo

In the Gospel, John’s disciples approached Jesus and asked him the question John had told them to ask Jesus in person: “Are you the one who is to come or should we expect someone else?” To which Jesus answered “Go back and report to John what you hear and see.  The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are healed, the dead are raised to life, and the poor have the good news preached to them.  Blest are the ones who find no stumbling block in me.”  In a very candid way, Jesus told John’s disciples that He was “The One” sent by God!

It is so amazing how marvellous Jesus is capable of doing miracles that only He can perform. However, in most times, we succumb to our own understanding of the events that are happening in our lives especially the negative and traumatic experiences. We lack patience to wait for the unfolding of the seemingly ugly events into an opportunity of growth and improvement. A chance to say to ourselves in awe, “I can actually bear this” (kaya ko naman pala).

I felt very sad when I read in the news this morning that one of my childhood crush in the cast of Tabing Ilog back in the 90s died of suicide. Even without me knowing his family, I prayed for them. I just can’t imagine how hard it is for his family especially this season of Christmas. I wonder how will this event change their view of Jesus’ birth and a promise of His Second Coming because of what happened.

Then, I thought of my friends who are clinically diagnosed of depression and other personality/mood disorders. In prayers, I recalled the faces of my students who resorted to cutting, suicidal attempts and other self-destructive behaviors. I say a prayer of thanks for sending people to inspire and save me during those times I experienced all these myself back then. Each time I am saved, relentlessly I asked Jesus in prayer, Is this you Jesus? What do you want me to do? Why do you keep on saving me over and over again? Even though I know that I am loved, still feelings of guilt and shame follow a thoughtless act of self-harm. Those feelings are even harder to deal with.

Having therapists or counselors as my colleagues and experiencing how to become a patient and a client as well made me more compassionate and kind to others. In most times, we don’t know what the person is going through. Behind a strong or sometimes a happy façade is a gentle person waiting to be cared for, asking for patience and assurance. Advent is not just a season of waiting but also a period of reassurance because all of us already know who it is yet to come. Our Messiah is with us. We have the ability to share it, live with it or conceal Jesus inside our being. Make him known. Be like Jesus. He helps almost anyone who needs help, without any expectations of fame and fortune, just authentic kindness and generosity. May we choose to always radiate Christ Jesus wherever we are.

Prayer

Loving Jesus,

We pray today for those who are confronted by the sadness, ambiguity, and confusions of mental and emotional illness, and for those upon whom they depend for attention and care. Give them the grace to fight over distress, confusion or isolation. Provide for them an environment of assurances and peace. Give them an understanding and willingness to seek and accepts help when necessary. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Explaining to a Child

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

17 June 2018

First reading                                                                      Ezekiel 17:22-24
Thus says the Lord God: I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of a cedar; I will set it out. I will break off a tender one from the topmost of its young twigs; I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it, in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit, and become a noble cedar. Under it every kind of bird will live; in the shade of its branches will nest winged creatures of every kind. All the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord. I bring low the high tree, I make high the low tree; I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I the Lord have spoken; I will accomplish it.

Second reading                                                     2 Corinthians 5:6-10

[Beloved brethren] we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord– for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.

Gospel                                                                     Mark 4:26-34

Jesus said to the crowd, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.” He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

Reflection

By Bernard M. Borja

We know how an adult struggles to explain things to a child in a way that it can be understood. How much more when it comes to handling the ways of the children? Sometimes, I think parents can only pray during such moments with their children:

● When they keep on doing their mischievous deeds and really enjoying it: "Father, forgive them. For they do not know what they are doing." 
● When they throw tantrums and insist on something they really want: "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachtani?" 
● When they are behave and obedient: "I promise you that today, you will be with me in Paradise." 
● When they run around a public place and needed to be chased: "I thirst." 
● When the father cannot handle them anymore: "Behold thy mother." 
● When both parents cannot handle them anymore: "Father into Your hands, I commit my spirit." 
● Every end of the day when the children goes to sleep: "It is finished." 

And these prayers will be repeated for the next days and for the succeeding years as their children grow up. 

A child also seems to never run out of questions. I've seen children asked a lot of questions, simple but wonderful as they are, but never satisfied of the answers given to them and usually springs out another question. I can imagine how my father handled my questions about anything I can think of during my childhood. Maybe it's like the most difficult exam he took next to his engineering license qualification exams. I can imagine him praying and struggling in thoughts on how to handle questions of a child but the answers are for a man. 

My father did everything for us to have a good life. To experience wonderful things which my brothers and I can only enjoy without understanding how he worked hard and prepared everything he can. But he also did his best to explain these wonderful things that he does for us even if we don't really understand how and why. As we grow up, we just realized and understood these things when we experience hardships and challenges that we did not need to handle during childhood. 

Jesus explained the Kingdom of God in a way that the people can easily understand. He did it in a parable, comparing the Kingdom to the smallest of all seeds that springs up becoming the largest of plants. Fathers are God's gift to us. They give their children a glimpse of the Kingdom of God in ways we could never have imagined. A father builds the Kingdom first in the family and strengthens it with his perseverance and faith. Then his family grows stronger, with the mother's guidance, to handle challenges and hardships in life. Now I believe why fathers are called "Haligi ng Tahanan (pillar of the home)." 

This Father's Day, we give honor to the one who has always been there to work hard and prepare the good things for us. In times when we seek solutions to problems and do not know what to do, he is there for us to share in our burden and strengthen our faith that we can succeed. In times when we insist our own ways, he is there behind to catch us when we fall. In times when we choose the right ways, he is there to affirm us of the wonderful things to happen. When we go out and lose our way, he is there waiting for us, preparing a feast for the family to enjoy. To the one who spends all his life to sow seeds for his children to harvest, Happy Father's Day!

Prayer

Almighty Father, we thank You for giving us our earthly fathers. May You continue to bless them as they build Your Kingdom starting with their family. Give them strength as they have dedicated their lives joyfully sharing in their children's hardships and wonderful things. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

The Lord at Work

The Ascension of the Lord 

13 May 2018

First reading                                                                      Acts 1: 1-11
In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Second reading                                                        Ephesians 1:17-23

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Gospel                                                                     Mark 16: 15-20

Jesus said to his disciples, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.

Reflection

By Pietro S. Albano

As he lay dying, St. Dominic de Guzman told his confreres "Do not weep, for I shall be more useful to you after my death and I shall help you then more effectively than during my life." Indeed, the religious congregation Dominic founded has been existing for the past 802 years, devoted to preaching and for the salvation of souls. For me, St Dominic proved true to his word. He continues to animate his spiritual sons and daughters up to this day.

St. Dominic's heavenly help mirrors the Lord's abiding presence in the Church. Having fulfilled the Father's will, Jesus returns to heaven and "sat down at the right hand of God." His Ascension though should not be interpreted as leaving His followers on their own. As our Gospel reading tells us, "...they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them ..." (Emphasis mine).  The continuous growth of the Church through the centuries attests to this. 

There are moments when it seems that our involvement in the parish or our Christian living in a secular society is fruitless, and we just want to give up. The apostles and other early followers of Christ were in the same boat. The Lord's Ascension is a wake up call: Jesus is with us in the middle of the storms that hit us. "If God is for us, who can be against us?", wrote St Paul (Romans 8:31). 

Jesus is working with us. All we have to do is to remain open and hopeful.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, we entrust to You our life and vocation. Work in and through us, for the glory of the Father. Amen.

Pagtanggap

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

02 July 2017

First reading                                                                                               2 Kings 4:8-11,13-16

One day as Elisha was on his way to Shunem, a woman of rank who lived there pressed him to stay and eat there. After this he always broke his journey for a meal when he passed that way. She said to her husband, ‘Look, I am sure the man wno is constantly passing our way must be a holy man of God. Let us build him a small room on the roof, and put him a bed in it, and a table and chair and lamp; whenever he comes to us he can rest there.’ One day when he came, he retired to the upper room and lay down. He said to his servant Gehazi, ‘Call our Shunammitess. Tell her this: “Look, you have gone to all this trouble for us, what can we do for you? Is there anything you would like said for you to the king or to the commander of the army?”’ But she replied, ‘I live with my own people about me.’ ‘What can be done for her then?’ he asked. Gehazi answered, ‘Well, she has no son and her husband is old.’ Elisha said, ‘Call her.’ The servant called her and she stood at the door. This time next year,’ he said ‘you will hold a son in your arms.’

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Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 88(89):2-3,16-19

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Second reading                                                                                                      Romans 6:3-4,8-11

When we were baptised in Christ Jesus we were baptised in his death; in other words, when we were baptised we went into the tomb with him and joined him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glory, we too might live a new life.
  But we believe that having died with Christ we shall return to life with him: Christ, as we know, having been raised from the dead will never die again. Death has no power over him any more. When he died, he died, once for all, to sin, so his life now is life with God; and in that way, you too must consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus.

Gospel Acclamation Alleluia, alleluia! Open our heart, O Lord, to accept the words of your Son. Alleluia!

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Gospel	Matthew 10:37-42

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.
  ‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me.
  ‘Anyone who welcomes a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes a holy man will have a holy man’s reward.
  ‘If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.’

Reflection

by Nats Vibiesca

Kalilipat ko lang ng opisina. Inuna kong linisin at ayusin ang aking bagong kwarto. Bukod dito, sinigurado kong may nakahandang kape at biskwit para may maiaalok ako kung sakaling may bumisita.   Hindi ba’t lagi tayong naghahanda kahit papaano para sa bisita? Maging sa tahanan nati’y lagi’t laging nandoon ang kagustuhang mapasaya ang sinumang tatanggaping bisita. Kaya nga sinasabing ang pagiging hospitable ay ang isa sa pinakamagandang ugali natin. Eh, bakit nga ba napaka-hospitable nating mga Filipino? Parang natural lang sa ating pagkatao ang magiliw na pagtanggap sa kapwa.

Noong nagsasaliksik ako tungkol sa kultura ng mga taga-Cordillera, partikular sa Kalinga, napansin ko na kape rin ang unang iniaalok sa mga bisita. At kahit hirap magsalita ng Tagalog, pipilitin nilang makipag-usap para estimahin nang mabuti ang bisita. Kaya’t kadalasang Ingles ang gamit nila kung hindi marunong mag-Tagalog. Ang pinakamahuhusay na buto ng kape ang itinatabi nila at hindi ipinagbibili, ito’y upang magamit ng kanilang pamilya at ng mga bisita.

Nang nakapunta naman ako sa Palawan, walang humpay din ang pag-asikaso nila sa mga bisita. Papaano’y sa paliparan pa lang ay masayang sinalubong agad kami ng mga tumanggap sa amin. Dalawang taon na ang nakalipas nang maranasan ko ang kakaibang pagtanggap ng mga kapatid nating Muslim na mga taga-Marawi sa aming mga Kristiyano bilang bisita nila. Ang sabi ko nga sa FB post ko ilang araw pagkatapos pumutok ang kaguluhan sa Marawi: Higit sa tanawin, nagulat kami sa pambihirang pag-asikaso sa amin ng mga taga-Marawi, walang ibang akmang salita para sa kanila kundi mababait at masayahin habang buhos kung umistima ng bisita. Napawi ang bahid ng takot sa amin nang maramdaman namin ang sinsero’t tapat na pagtanggap nila sa amin  at payapa kaming nakisalamuha sa kanila. Ito marahil ang dahilan kung bakit napaka-hospitable natin: laging nararamdaman ang kapayapaan sa tuwing magiliw tayong tumatanggap ng bisita.

Ngunit kung hindi naman kapayapaan ang dala ng bisita, malamang na mahirap silang tanggapin at patuluyin sa ating tahanan. Hindi nga ba’t walang nakakapasok na Kastilang mananakop noon sa mga tribu sa Cordillera o maging sa pamayanan ng mga Moro sa Mindanao? Ang mga Amerikanong misyonero’t relihiyoso na ang tinanggap ng mga taga-tribu dahil ang dala nilang pananampalataya kay Jesus ay nagdudulot ng kapayapaan, at saka lamang sila nakapagpahayag ng ebanghelyo.

Ang pagtanggap kay Jesus ay hindi lang nangangahulugan ng pagtanggap ng mga biyayang masaya o mapayapang kalagayan, sapagka’t maging ang bagabag sa buhay, kalungkutan o mga suliranin ay bahagi rin ng pananampalataya. Kadalasan nga’y kaakibat ng pagtanggap kay Jesus ang mga pagsubok sa buhay na kalauna’y biyaya pa rin para pala na ating ikabubuti.

Kung matibay ang pananampalataya sa Diyos, umuusbong naman ang pag-asa na dulot rin ng pagtanggap. Kung tinatanggap natin si Jesus, niyayakap din natin ang pag-asa na Kanyang handog bilang bisita nga natin.  Kaya nga kung minsan kapag may mga estudiyante akong laging lumiliban sa klase dahil problemado sa pera, madalas na walang pamasahe o hindi makakain dahil walang baon, inuunawa ko na lang at tinatanggap pa rin sa klase upang mabigyang pag-asa.  Ang madalas kong sabihin sa kanila’y kung ako nga’y nakapagtiyaga kahit mahigit dalawang dekada bago naka-graduate sa kolehiyo dahil wala rin kaming pera noon, pero hindi ako nawalan ng pag-asa kaya’t duktor na ako ngayon, kayo pa kaya.

Kung anuman ang maitutulong ay kailangang gawin upang makintal sa kanila ang pag-asa. Kung tinanggap mo ‘yung tao, kailanga’y handa mo siyang tulungan hangga’t makakaya mo. Kung mayroon kang maitutulong o kahit pa nga walang-wala ka na, kung minsan inuuna mo pa ang pagtulong. Pag-ibig na nga ang tawag doon kung hindi ang sariling kapakanan ang inuuna bagkus, ang pangangailangan muna ng kapwa ang iniintindi. Tulad ng pagtanggap sa kanila at pagpapadama ng pagtulong, asahang ganoon din ang kanilang gagawin sa iba namang nangangailangan balang-araw. Hindi nga natatapos ang pag-ibig sa simpleng pagtanggap. Hindi ba’t kaysarap tanggapin ng mga nangangailangan ng tulong dahil laging paglaganap ng pag-ibig ang kahulugan nito?

Kung mabait, matuwid, matapat, at mapagmahal na disipulo ng Diyos ang ating bisita’y walang kaabog-abog na tatanggapin agad natin. Ngunit madalas na mahirap tanggapin ang iba’t ibang tao, palibhasa’y iba’t ibang ugali. Kayhirap tanggapin lalo na ‘yung mga masungit, ‘yung mga taong laging parang sinakluban ng mundo dahil may bagaheng dinadala, maging mga boss na lagi kang binubulyawan, ang mga nagwawalang drayber sa kalsada, ang mga balasubas na kapitbahay, mga adik na ka-baranggay, mga palaboy sa kalsada, kahit sa loob ng pamilya’y mayroon din itim na tupa. Sila ang nakakasalamuha natin sa araw-araw, mga taong kinapitan na ng samu’t saring taliptip sa bangka sa kanilang paglalakbay at bigat na bigat na nga sa pagpasan kaya’t halos ipasa na sa atin ang mga ito kung sila’y bumibisita. Ang mga taong may mabigat na suliranin o sinumang nangangailangan ng tulong, higit sa lahat ang mga lingkod ng Diyos, ang siyang mukha ng ating Panginoong Jesus. Sa madaling salita, kung minamahal natin ang kapwa nati’y minamahal nga nating tunay ang Panginoong Diyos.

Prayer

Panginoon, nawa’y ang pagtanggap namin sa Iyo ang magbigay daan sa pagtanggap namin sa aming kapwa nang may pagmamahal, pang-unawa, pagpapatawad, at pag-aaruga na walang sinisino, kaibigan man o kaaway, mabait man o makasalanan, mahirap man o mayaman para sa ikaluluwalhati ng Iyong Pangalan. Amen