Ready When It Matters Most

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

10 August 2025

 

First Reading: Wisdom 18:6-9

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:1, 12, 18-19, 20-22

Second Reading: Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19

Gospel: Luke 12:32-48

 

Reflection By:

Bro. Carlo Alexis Malaluan

Diocese of Imus

 

While I was visiting a province, I remember visiting long time friend’s house unexpectedly one day. It was a surprise visit, and I hadn’t told her I was coming. Yet, the moment she opened the door, she welcomed me with a warm smile, a table quickly filled with food, and a heart ready to listen to my stories. It was as if she had been waiting all along, even if she didn’t know I was on my way. She was ready—not just with her hands, but with her heart.

Jesus, in today’s Gospel, speaks about that kind of readiness—not rooted in fear or pressure, but in love and joyful expectation. He begins with a tender word: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” It’s not a warning shouted from a distance, but an invitation whispered close to the heart. The tone is not of threat, but of promise.

And yet, what follows is also a call to be alert, prepared, watchful: “Gird your loins and light your lamps… be like servants waiting for their master to return.” Jesus paints the picture of a master who comes not to assert authority, but to serve—astonishingly, he will have the servants recline at table, and he will wait on them.

It’s a radical reversal. But it reveals something about God: that when He finds us ready, watching, faithful in our ordinary lives, He does not repay us with fear or duty, but with intimacy. He draws near. He serves. He lets us rest in Him

And so we are asked, not to panic about the unknown time of His return, but to live each day as though He were coming at any moment. Not with anxiety—but with love.

But what does being “ready” mean? It doesn’t mean doing something extraordinary every day. Readiness, in the eyes of the Gospel, looks a lot like faithfulness in the small things—keeping the lamp of kindness lit even when no one sees, staying true to our responsibilities when they feel unnoticed, choosing honesty when shortcuts are easier, praying even when God seems silent.

Jesus also warns: “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much.” And perhaps this is where it becomes personal. Because many of us carry responsibilities—over families, communities, roles of service, even just being a quiet witness of hope to those around us. We are all stewards of something: time, relationships, talents, opportunities. The question is not whether we have enough, but whether we are using what we’ve been given with love and integrity.

The call to be ready is not a call to paranoia. It’s a call to live awake—to pay attention, to be present, to serve well, to love deeply. Because when the Lord comes—whether in the great moment at the end of time, or in the small unexpected encounters of everyday life—He looks for hearts that are open, lamps that are burning, lives that have been quietly faithful.

So maybe today, we are being asked: Am I living like someone who knows the Master could knock any moment? Not with fear, but with joy. Not as someone trying to impress, but as someone waiting for a Friend.

Because in the end, that is what readiness means: to be found doing what we were created to do, even when no one is watching. To be like my grandmother—whose door, table, and heart were always ready, simply because love lived there.

Prayer

Simply Jessie

First Reading: Exodus 17:8-13

Then came Am'alek and fought with Israel at Reph'idim. And Moses said to Joshua, "Choose for us men, and go out, fight with Am'alek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand." So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Am'alek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Am'alek prevailed. But Moses' hands grew weary; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat upon it, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; so his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua mowed down Am'alek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Psalm: Psalm 121:1-8

Second Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14 -- 4:2

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Gospel:Luke 18:1-8

And he told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man; and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, `Vindicate me against my adversary.' For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, `Though I neither fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.'" And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

Reflection
by Gharri Tulabut

One friend at a time. This has been my practice in inviting friends to join The Angeles Feast (our prayer meeting). Yes, I often do Facebook invitations and, yes, there were people that joined us because of those invitations but I still like focusing on one person at a time. Well, sometimes up to 3 or even 5. But what I mean is, I always want to make it more personal and invite those that I worked with, whom I have an idea what their issues are all about, and those I really want to help.

Let’s call one of them, Jessica.

I was able to make her attend once last year. That did not happen for a second time because of the many issues she had at work. Often she confides in me. And because I had an idea what her issues are, I wanted to help her. And I think joining the Yuppies Group in our community would really help her with her issues at work on top of the personal advice she gets from me. That is why I was persistent in inviting her.

Every Saturday morning, I would always remind her, either through text message or Facebook.  Every Saturday.

But no, there was no Jessie in our weekly prayer meeting.

One Saturday, I told myself not to invite her this time (to save my 1 peso cellphone load for a while, hehe). No, I am not planning to quit just yet. I will just step back and probably change strategy.

I did not wake up early that Saturday. But upon waking up at noon guess who texted me.

Yup, it was Jessie.

And guess what the text was all about.

She’s asking me what time The Feast was?

She’s attending. Hurray!

And that afternoon we were all very happy in The Feast together with some of Jessie’s (and my former) officemates.

…But without Jessie.

She’s still a no-show.

But I was not mad at her. I did not even confront her to ask why she did not suit up. I still saw her at Mass. And we talked about other things.

I remember what Pope Francis said, “We just have to be a friend and Christ will do the rest.” So this remains my strategy in “disciple-ing”.

One other thing that keeps my communication line open with Jessie busy is my passion with financial investments. Last Tuesday, I received an unexpected text from her. This time she’s telling me that she is now ready to invest in the Mutual Funds I am representing.

Well, I do my regular talks on investments right after The Feast, so I told her, let’s meet at The Feast and discuss afterwards. 

She was not promising but she said she might attend this coming Saturday.

That Saturday is Oct 19. Did she finally attend?

As of this writing, I still don’t know.

But one thing I know, I will keep my persistence in inviting her and in praying that she finally say yes. I am that determined to help her… in her financial life, and of course, in her spiritual life.

And Jessie is just an example of many similar situations I handle.

Prayer

Father God, touch Jessie and the many like her who are still confused, to finally see the beauty of having a community both to receive blessings and to bless others. Grant me always the patience and persistence in inviting and spreading your good news. Amen!

Giving Up is Not An Option

But Palm Sunday tells us that … it is the cross that is the true tree of life.

- Pope Benedict XVI

First Reading: Isa. 50:4-7

The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, That I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; And I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

Resp. Psalm: Psalms 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24

Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11

Who,  though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness;  and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.  Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,  to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel:  Mark 14:1—15:47

It was two days before the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by some trick and have him put to death. For they said, ‘It must not be during the festivities, or there will be a disturbance among the people.’


Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper; he was at dinner when a woman came in with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the ointment on his head. Some who were there said to one another indignantly, ‘Why this waste of ointment? Ointment like this could have been sold for over three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor’; and they were angry with her. But Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. Why are you upsetting her? What she has done for me is one of the good works. You have the poor with you always, and you can be kind to them whenever you wish, but you will not always have me. She has done what was in her power to do: she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. I tell you solemnly, wherever throughout all the world the Good News is proclaimed, what she has done will be told also, in remembrance of her.’


Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, approached the chief priests with an offer to hand Jesus over to them. They were delighted to hear it, and promised to give him money; and he looked for a way of betraying him when the opportunity should occur.


On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed, his disciples said to him, ‘Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the passover?’ So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the city and you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, and say to the owner of the house which he enters, “The Master says: Where is my dining room in which I can eat the passover with my disciples?” He will show you a large upper room furnished with couches, all prepared. Make the preparations for us there,’ The disciples set out and went to the city and found everything as he had told them, and prepared the Passover.


When evening came he arrived with the Twelve. And while they were at table eating, Jesus said, ‘I tell you solemnly, one of you is about to betray me, one of you eating with me.’ They were distressed and asked him, one after another, ‘Not I, surely?’ He said to them, ‘It is one of the Twelve, one who is dipping into the same dish with me. Yes, the Son of Man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will, but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born!’


And as they were eating he took some bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to them. ‘Take it,’ he said ‘this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had returned thanks he gave it to them, and all drank from it, and he said to them, ‘This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many. I tell you solemnly, I shall not drink any more wine until the day I drink the new wine in the kingdom of God.’


After psalms had been sung they left for the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them, ‘You will all lose faith, for the scripture says: I shall strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered, however after my resurrection I shall go before you to Galilee.’ Peter said, ‘Even if all lose faith, I will not.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘I tell you solemnly, this day, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will have disowned me three times.’ But he repeated still more earnestly, ‘If I have to die with you, I will never disown you.’ And they all said the same.


They came to a small estate called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Stay here while I pray.’ Then he took Peter and James and John with him. And a sudden fear came over him, and great distress. And he said to them, ‘My soul is sorrowful to the point of death. Wait here, and keep awake.’ And going on a little further he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, this hour might pass him by. ‘Abba (Father)!’ he said ‘Everything is possible for you. Take this cup away from me. But let it be as you, not I, would have it.’ He came back and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, ‘Simon, are you asleep? Had you not the strength to keep awake one hour? You should be awake, and praying not to be put to the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ Again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And once more he came back and found them sleeping, their eyes were so heavy; and they could find no answer for him. He came back a third time and said to them, ‘You can sleep on now and take your rest. It is all over. The hour has come. Now the Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up! Let us go! My betrayer is close at hand already.’


Even while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, came up with a number of men armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now the traitor had arranged a signal with them. ‘The one I kiss,’ he had said ‘he is the man. Take him in charge, and see he is well guarded when you lead him away.’ So when the traitor came, he went straight up to Jesus and said, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed him. The others seized him and took him in charge. Then one of the bystanders drew his sword and struck out at the high priest’s servant, and cut off his ear.


Then Jesus spoke. ‘Am I a brigand’ he said ‘that you had to set out to capture me with swords and clubs? I was among you teaching in the Temple day after day and you never laid hands on me. But this is to fulfil the scriptures.’ And they all deserted him and ran away. A young man who followed him had nothing on but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him, but he left the cloth in their hands and ran away naked.


They led Jesus off to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes assembled there. Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the high priest’s palace, and was sitting with the attendants warming himself at the fire.


The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus on which they might pass the death sentence. But they could not find any. Several, indeed, brought false evidence against him, but their evidence was conflicting. Some stood up and submitted this false evidence against him, ‘We heard him say, “I am going to destroy this Temple made by human hands, and in three days build another, not made by human hands.”’ But even on this point their evidence was conflicting. The high priest then stood up before the whole assembly and put this question to Jesus, ‘Have you no answer to that? What is this evidence these men are bringing against you?’ But he was silent and made no answer at all. The high priest put a second question to him, ‘Are you the Christ,’ he said, ‘the Son of the Blessed One?’ ‘I am,’ said Jesus ‘and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.’ The high priest tore his robes, ‘What need of witnesses have we now?’ he said. ‘You heard the blasphemy. What is your finding?’ And they all gave their verdict: he deserved to die.


Some of them started spitting at him and, blindfolding him, began hitting him with their fists and shouting, ‘Play the prophet!’ And the attendants rained blows on him.


While Peter was down below in the courtyard, one of the high priest’s servant-girls came up. She saw Peter warming himself there, stared at him and said, ‘You too were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.’ But he denied it. ‘I do not know, I do not understand, what you are talking about’ he said. And he went out into the forecourt. The servant-girl saw him and again started telling the bystanders, ‘This fellow is one of them.’ But again he denied it. A little later the bystanders themselves said to Peter, ‘You are one of them for sure! Why, you are a Galilean.’ But he started calling down curses on himself and swearing, ‘I do not know the man you speak of.’ At that moment the cock crew for the second time, and Peter recalled how Jesus had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows twice, you will have disowned me three times.’ And he burst into tears.


First thing in the morning, the chief priests together with the elders and scribes, in short the whole Sanhedrin, had their plan ready. They had Jesus bound and took him away and handed him over to Pilate.


Pilate questioned him, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ ‘It is you who say it’ he answered. And the chief priests brought many accusations against him. Pilate questioned him again, ‘Have you no reply at all? See how many accusations they are bringing against you!’ But, to Pilate’s amazement, Jesus made no further reply.


At festival time Pilate used to release a prisoner for them, anyone they asked for. Now a man called Barabbas was then in prison with the rioters who had committed murder during the uprising. When the crowd went up and began to ask Pilate the customary favour, Pilate answered them, ‘Do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?’ For he realised it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over. The chief priests, however, had incited the crowd to demand that he should release Barabbas for them instead. Then Pilate spoke again. ‘But in that case,’ he said to them ‘what am I to do with the man you call king of the Jews?’ They shouted back, ‘Crucify him!’ ‘Why?’ Pilate asked them ‘What harm has he done?’ But they shouted all the louder, ‘Crucify him!’ So Pilate, anxious to placate the crowd, released Barabbas for them and, having ordered Jesus to be scourged, handed him over to be crucified.


The soldiers led him away to the inner part of the palace, that is, the Praetorium, and called the whole cohort together. They dressed him up in purple, twisted some thorns into a crown and put it on him. And they began saluting him, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ They struck his head with a reed and spat on him; and they went down on their knees to do him homage. And when they had finished making fun of him, they took off the purple and dressed him in his own clothes.


They enlisted a passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, father of Alexander and Rufus, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, which means the place of the skull.


They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he refused it. Then they crucified him, and shared out his clothing, casting lots to decide what each should get. It was the third hour when they crucified him. The inscription giving the charge against him read: ‘The King of the Jews.’ And they crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.


The passers-by jeered at him; they shook their heads and said, ‘Aha! So you would destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days! Then save yourself: come down from the cross!’ The chief priests and the scribes mocked him among themselves in the same way. ‘He saved others,’ they said ‘he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, for us to see it and believe.’ Even those who were crucified with him taunted him.


When the sixth hour came there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you deserted me?’ When some of those who stood by heard this, they said, ‘Listen, he is calling on Elijah.’ Someone ran and soaked a sponge in vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave it him to drink saying; ‘Wait and see if Elijah will come to take him down.’ But Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the veil of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The centurion, who was standing in front of him, had seen how he had died, and he said, ‘In truth this man was a son of God.’


There were some women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary of Magdala, Mary who was the mother of James the younger and Joset, and Salome. These used to follow him and look after him when he was in Galilee. And there were many other women there who had come up to Jerusalem with him.


It was now evening, and since it was Preparation Day (that is, the vigil of the sabbath), there came Joseph of Arimathaea, a prominent member of the Council, who himself lived in the hope of seeing the kingdom of God, and he boldly went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate, astonished that he should have died so soon, summoned the centurion and enquired if he was already dead. Having been assured of this by the centurion, he granted the corpse to Joseph who bought a shroud, took Jesus down from the cross, wrapped him in the shroud and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb. Mary of Magdala and Mary the mother of Joset were watching and took note of where he was laid.

Reflection

By Pam Manzano

While meditating on a possible write-up for today’s Gospel, I remembered a friend from school. At the time I am writing this, my friend is in her senior collegiate year taking up BS Psychology. She is an innately happy person with a charming smile, pleasing to the ears' laughter and is capable of giving sweet-warm hugs. She is a music lover and can play several musical instruments very well, including drums. Her face is simple and innocent-looking which gives her a beauty that can be described as classic. She is a lady with a little girl’s heart. She exudes an aura that captures the heart of other people around her. The only thing that she wants is to love and make someone happy even in the expense of her sadness. On top of it all, she is Christian.



My friend, being in her senior year, is expecting to graduate on time. Stress of a graduating student’s subject loads coupled with other personal problems took a hold of her. Problems pushed her to her limits – in a negative sense. She carried all her pain without the world knowing, without even wanting the world to know. News about not being part of the candidates for graduation list, missing professors' lessons, and pending graduation requirements marked the start of her distress. There are times she seemed so distant, her mind pre-occupied with things that should not even be there in the first place. I honestly do not know what else to do or tell her and make her feel lighter. Her hope was gone. It is just sad to know that because of her current experiences, her faith is greatly affected.


Today’s Gospel talks about Jesus’ passion in the course of saving us. Jesus knew back then that His passion will not be easy. He knew He would have to endure the pain that is to be inflicted on Him. He knew His disciples, His friends will desert Him. He knew He would have to die in the end.


Did He back out? No.


Did He lose hope? No.


Did He think of death as the end? No.


Maybe it is because of sorrow that He cried out “Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani” before dying. But there is a purpose behind: to redeem mankind from sin. He could have easily saved Himself from such pain and humiliation in dying like a criminal but He chose to follow the Father’s plan and give us new hope, new life, and eternity. He triumphed over death, He is the victor.


Our lives are full of uncertainties. We do not know what we are going to face in the next minutes, days, weeks, and years of our lives. We don’t know what else to endure, what we are going to lose, what disappointments we are yet to face. Whatever happens next, just keep on pushing forward. Giving up on life is never an option. Like what Jesus did in His passion, let us be imitative of His courage to step forward one more time even if our yokes are heavy.


This Lenten season, let us not forget that no matter how the hardships and challenges try to weigh us down, someone above us is stretching out His loving arms that we can hold on to and help pull us up, to make us stand. Let us not grow weary of our faith. It is in difficult times that our Christian faith is so much tested and refined. And yes, my friend graduated on time.

Jesus went through so much pain than we can ever imagine. He died hanging on the cross for me, for my friend, for everyone including you. He rose victorious and is calling us to share the victory He has long won. Will you respond to that call?


As a popular cliché goes, “No one ever said it would be easy. They just say ‘It would be all worth it’.” Want to give up on life now? Think. Remember Jesus’ sacrifice on that cross 2000 years ago and think what will happen if He gave up right then. Where will you be now?

Prayer
 
Jesus, this Lenten season, may we be grateful of Your sacrifice in the cross of Calvary. May we see Your light when we are blinded by darkness. May we feel Your love when we are most unlovable. And may we know Your overflowing grace when we are in our nothingness. Amen.

Anger

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time20 February 2011



Come, let us rejoice in the Lord: let us acclaim God our salvation, alleluia.

First reading Leviticus 19:1-2,17-18
The Lord spoke to Moses; he said:
‘Speak to the whole community of the sons of Israel and say to them:
‘“Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.
‘“You must not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. You must openly tell him, your neighbour, of his offence; this way you will not take a sin upon yourself. You must not exact vengeance, nor must you bear a grudge against the children of your people. You must love your neighbour as yourself. I am the Lord.”’

Psalm: Psalm 102:1-4,8,10,12-13

Second reading 1 Corinthians 3:16-23
Didn’t you realise that you were God’s temple and that the Spirit of God was living among you? If anybody should destroy the temple of God, God will destroy him, because the temple of God is sacred; and you are that temple.
Make no mistake about it: if any one of you thinks of himself as wise, in the ordinary sense of the word, then he must learn to be a fool before he really can be wise. Why? Because the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As scripture says: The Lord knows wise men’s thoughts: he knows how useless they are; or again: God is not convinced by the arguments of the wise. So there is nothing to boast about in anything human: Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life and death, the present and the future, are all your servants; but you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God.

Gospel Matthew 5:38-48
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.
‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’

Reflection
By Grace Madriñan

We have this popular saying in Filipino, which says, “Ang pikon ay laging talo”, which means that those who are affected or easily angered always loses. I am very much aware of this. In my mind, I have conditioned myself not to fall easily on the trap of losing myself to anger. But there were lapses, and I failed the test. Almost a month ago, I was enraged by a counterpart who instead of helping out, fanned the problems further aflame by escalating and bringing up an issue that has long been resolved. What she did gave the impression to the management that our processes were inefficient and that our team is incompetent.

After calming myself down, I tried to look for some ‘lessons’ from what happened. It was a wake-up call, actually. First lesson is for me to try my best not to let anger get the best of me. Although I cannot expect myself not to feel any emotion, I have decided to rise from it as quickly as possible. Second, I will not let ‘friendship’ dictate how I work. The reason why I was hurt that bad was because I considered her as a friend, and that I trusted her. Next time, I will be more professional and objective at work. If I need to push my co-worker for more work to be done, I will. As for myself, I will do more work proactively, not leaving anything to chance.

At this time, I am back to my usual self. I can now talk and work with my said counterpart without any desire to bite her head off . I have forgiven her. I still consider her as a friend, though I keep myself on guard. Jesus is right when He said that it is more noble and braver to love your neighbor, even enemies. Who among us can easily offer a right hand to someone who ripped our left hand? Who among us can easily embrace an enemy after stabbing us in the back? Not everyone can do that. But only a true follower of Christ can. In today’s Gospel, Jesus instructs us as His follower, to be patient instead of being intolerant, to be giving instead of tightfisted, to love instead of hate.

Father, sometimes it is very difficult to forgive, much more to love our neighbor. But with Christ as our model of love, who was able, not only to forgive, but also loved those who crucified Him – how can we fail Him? We lift our hearts to You to mold us and teach us that we may do the same. Amen.



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