Magnify

 Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

15 August 2021 

 

First Reading: RV 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab

Responsorial Psalm: PS 45:10, 11, 12 16

Second Reading: 1 COR 15:20-7

Gospel: LK 1:39-56

 

Reflection

By: Gary Tulabut

 

Last month, our worship team at the Light of Jesus (LOJ) Pampanga was invited to represent the whole LOJ North and Central Luzon for a live worship concert organized by the LOJ Provincial. We were one of only two bands who will be leading worship live at the venue. The rest had their worship songs pre-recorded.

Despite all my issues in singing (timing and memorizing lyrics which I attribute to karaoke singing, hehe), I was selected to be the only male among four vocalists.

Because of those issues, I could easily say no to the one who chose me. But how could I? For just a month earlier, in one business boot camp activity, we were asked to make a dream board. And in the "spiritual" part of my dream board, I pasted a photo of me leading worship.

So, I accepted with the hope and prayer that with ample practice, I would be able to overcome those issues. And yes, after two weeks of practice, I was ready to be the lead vocalist for one of the songs.

But on the night before the band travelled to the venue in Bulacan, I found out that someone I had contact with was experiencing CoVid symptoms. I decided that night that I will not go with the band. Anyway, one very good singer from another province will be there to substitute me. He did not need to practice anyway.

Thank God, the one with symptoms, who I had contact with, and I were not infected, the worship concert went well, and our band was amazing leading in worshipping God.

A few days after the event, while I as telling the story to another group, I used the word "perform" instead of "lead worship".

I paused for a while and thought, "Maybe that is why I wasn't able to join them." I normally watch my motives in service and even ask the Lord to purify them. Maybe this time I failed. That in my subconscious, I was still thinking the whole thing as a performance instead of a service leading people to worship God.

I love the song I was assigned to lead. And I was confident that I could render it very well after that two-week practice. Maybe, subconsciously, I was already imagining how I would be praised in Facebook and Instagram with all those likes, hearts, and shares.

In our Gospel for this Sunday, Elizabeth praised her cousin, Mama Mary, for being blessed by carrying the Lord in her womb. Immediately, Mama Mary sent her praises to God through what we know as the Magnificat.

May every praise we receive for our success, blessings, talents, and good deeds be diverted to God.

May our goal in service be to glorify God rather than ourselves.

And may everything we do bear fruits that magnify the Lord!

 

Prayer

 

Mama Mary, pray for us.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

God's Plan

Fifth Sunday of Lent

21 March 2021 

 

First Reading:  JER 31:31-34

Responsorial Psalm:  PS 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15

Second Reading:  HEB 5:7-9

Gospel:  JN 12:20-33

 

Reflection

By: Emerson C. Maala

 

Once a year, my high school best friends were able to gather just to have a moment of friendship and talk about ourselves. It is just like a mini-reunion. Most of them are already professionals and have stable jobs. It was only I who was still studying because of my chosen vocation. We asked one another what was our plans and wishes after five years. In his sudden reaction, one of my best friends realized that he was turning 30 years old at that time. He said he wants to pause his age at 25 years old because he still wants to do many things and enjoy his life. Similarly, they asked me a question if I don't have any regrets that I was not able to enjoy my life outside. Excitedly, I answered them saying, "This might be God's plan for me and I love what I am doing and I enjoy things that I have right now.

 

In the Gospel, Jesus is aware that the hour has come. It is the time of His passion, death, and resurrection; the return to His Father and His glorification. However, Jesus was troubled. He knew that He will suffer from pain and anguish and He knew that this was the way. Instead of complaining, that the chalice of suffering passes Him by, Jesus prayed, "Father, glorify Your Name." And the Father's glory was manifested by Jesus in His loving disciples and all the people at the very end.

 

In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that aside from our plans, there is God's plan. We might not be certain of the future or we might want to be still in our younger age or to pause our age so that we might be able to do things and enjoy our life. However, these were all just things that we want and not what God want for us. We might experience pain and suffering on our way, but Jesus would always be on our side, to fulfill God's plan for us. For what God wants for us will always be for our sake and a fruit of His love for us.

 

Prayer

 

Lord Jesus, You have taught us to accept what Your Father planned for You. By this, we begged You to grant us the grace to have a humble heart so that we could also accept what God planned for us. Help us on our journey to fulfill Your Father's plan for us and always lead us on life. Amen.

 

 

 

Behind those Glorious Moments

Second Sunday of Lent 21 February 2016
First reading                                                                             Genesis 15:5-12,17-18

Taking Abram outside, the Lord said, ‘Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your descendants.’ Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified.

  ‘I am the Lord’ he said to him ‘who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldaeans to make you heir to this land.’ ‘My Lord,’ Abram replied ‘how am I to know that I shall inherit it?’ He said to him, ‘Get me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon.’ He brought him all these, cut them in half and put half on one side and half facing it on the other; but the birds he did not cut in half. Birds of prey came down on the carcases but Abram drove them off.

  When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, there appeared a smoking furnace and a firebrand that went between the halves. That day the Lord made a Covenant with Abram in these terms:

‘To your descendants I give this land,

from the wadi of Egypt to the Great River.’

 

Psalm                                                                            Psalm 26:1,7-9,13-14

              

Second reading                                                         Philippians 3:17-4:1

My brothers, be united in following my rule of life. Take as your models everybody who is already doing this and study them as you used to study us. I have told you often, and I repeat it today with tears, there are many who are behaving as the enemies of the cross of Christ. They are destined to be lost. They make foods into their god and they are proudest of something they ought to think shameful; the things they think important are earthly things. For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body. He will do that by the same power with which he can subdue the whole universe.

  So then, my brothers and dear friends, do not give way but remain faithful in the Lord. I miss you very much, dear friends; you are my joy and my crown.

Gospel                                                                       Luke 9:28-36
Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up the mountain to pray. As he prayed, the aspect of his face was changed and his clothing became brilliant as lightning. Suddenly there were two men there talking to him; they were Moses and Elijah appearing in glory, and they were speaking of his passing which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep, but they kept awake and saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As these were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ – He did not know what he was saying. As he spoke, a cloud came and covered them with shadow; and when they went into the cloud the disciples were afraid. And a voice came from the cloud saying, ‘This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.’ And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. The disciples kept silence and, at that time, told no one what they had seen.

Reflection

By Pietro S. Albano

Try to look at your graduation or wedding photos.  How did you look like? Stunning, marvelous, beautiful!  Being in Cloud 9 is a great experience, isn't it? But behind these glorious moments are other photos - some developed, some shared in social media, some only known to a few souls or to God - which show how much hard work and sacrifice we have made to reach our goals. 

When I was a little boy, my uncle Augusto Samaniego Jr, would tag me along to church in Kawit, Cavite during Holy Week to see the various statues atop carriages.  As a kid during that time, I was scared looking at the statue of Jesus fallen on the ground with His mouth crying in anguish and pain. During the traditional Salubong on Easter Sunday, a glorious statue of the Risen Christ takes center stage.  As I grow old, I began to realize that without a Christ who has fallen on the ground and bled Himself to death on the cross, we would not be able to recognize the Risen Christ come Easter.  

In today's Gospel, Jesus's Transfiguration gave a foretaste of His glory to Peter, James, and John.  After that experience, these apostles would later witness the suffering, death, and resurrection of their Master.  And not only that.  They would soon share in His fate (except for John who died of old age).  What kept them going? I think it was the Father's exhortation at Tabor: Listen to him (i.e. Jesus).

This Lent, let us take time to listen to Jesus so that we would keep on going through our own Calvary to our own Resurrection.

Prayer

Merciful Father, You have revealed Yourself to us through Jesus.  United with Him, may we faithfully face all adversities in life so that we may reach the glory He has gained for us. In His Name we pray. Amen.