Stay Grateful!

Second Sunday of Easter

Sunday of Divine Mercy

11 April 2021 

 

First Reading:  ACTS 4:32-35

Responsorial Psalm:  PS 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

Second Reading:  1 JN 5:1-6

Gospel:  JN 20:19-31

 

Reflection

By: Fely C. Santiago

 

"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love is everlasting."

 

At this time of the pandemic when people are losing their jobs, businesses are closing down, families are losing their loved ones to CoVid-19, there is just so much uncertainty and anxiety. How long will this pandemic last? How long, O Lord? This is the question of so many of us.

And it can be overwhelming. And today we are reminded to give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love is everlasting in whatever circumstances we may have.

Can we pause for a while and be present for the moment? This is the Second Sunday of Easter and we should be thankful that we are still alive! Start writing down the things that you are thankful for and you will be surprised! Start it right now. Thank God for  a new life every morning, for the sunshine, for the rain, for the trees, for the flowers, the plants, the mountains, the sea, your eyes to see, your ears to hear, there is food on the table, you still have your feet to walk, you have friends, you can still meet people online, the gift of technology, you can connect and browse the internet, you have your phone, the comfort of your bed, the air-conditioner, the electric fan, your kitchen, your home, and on and on and on. How many were you able to list down?

 

Yes, we may be filled with dark clouds but the Lord is here. Let us keep the faith and hope in the Lord. Let us thank Him for His continued presence and unconditional love. We just have to believe that. The Lord is our only refuge at this time of the pandemic and for that we should already give thanks. We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. We strive for the grand spiritual adventure, which we haven't had, and neglect the many gifts from God that we do have. Let us be satisfied with the small measure of spiritual knowledge, experience, and love that has been given to us.

Give thanks to the Lord for He is everlasting!

Prayer

 

Lord Jesus for whatever life may bring I say THANK YOU! Give me the grace of a grateful heart all the time. Because when there is gratitude and humility, there is peace. Thank You for everything You have given me Lord including the gift of life that I sometimes take for granted. All this I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

 

 

The Lord is Risen!

Easter Sunday

The Resurrection of the Lord

4 April 2021 

 

First Reading:  ACTS 10:34a, 37-43

Responsorial Psalm:  PS 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

Second Reading:  COL 3:1-4, 22-23

Gospel:  JN 20:1-9

 

Reflection

By: Fely C. Santiago

 

"For they did not yet understand the Scripture that He had to rise from the dead."

Today is a very joyous day because it is Resurrection Sunday! This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad! The Lenten days of fasting, almsgiving, and repenting are over. Christ's resurrection vividly demonstrates that love is always stronger than fear or hate or even death. Certainly, something to celebrate. And given what we have all been through this past year, we all really need reasons to celebrate, to find joy and reason for our hope. We just came out of the dark days of Good Friday and experience the fullness of Christ's light on Easter!

Maybe some of us would fret at these words, what is there to rejoice when we are in the midst of a pandemic? Many people are dying, our health workers and front liners are tired, the CoVid-19 cases are rising even with vaccination going on already. Where are You, Lord? People are anxious, worried, frustrated. At these moments, it may seem less clear how the Easter story is our story.

Let us take comfort in knowing that this is exactly the situation of Jesus' friends and followers not only during His Passion, but even in the earliest days of the Resurrection. It took time for them to recognize the reality of the Resurrection. The truth of the Easter Sunday is that God's love is victorious. That is the essence of our faith. Good still wins out over evil. Life wins out over death.

Remember that it is not our action that makes Easter happen. Rather, it is about taking the time to be attentive to God's creative action. God's unstoppable love resurrected Jesus from the dead. And it is God's love and not our own action that will lead to our own resurrections—both our bodily resurrections (someday) and the ways we experience new life now, in the midst of fear, suffering, grief, and even death.

Our part is simply to acknowledge our feelings, pay attention, wonder, and pray.

• If I am feeling emptiness or grief, I can bring my sense of emptiness to God and, like Mary Magdalene, wait for God, paying attention to where I might find new life beyond the tomb.
• If I am feeling fear and am shut inside my own room, I can bring those fears to God and know that God will enter right into that space with me. God can surprise me beyond the confines of my own understanding.
• If I am feeling doubt, I can express these doubts to God and, like Thomas, wonder how God invites me to touch the reality of the Resurrection.
• If I am feeling a desire for increased connection with God, I can let God walk with me, talk with me, and even "feed" me with the divine presence. I can let myself love God and let God love me in turn.

The Lord is risen. There is reason for hope. There is light at the end of the tunnel. There is a silver lining amidst the dark clouds.

 

Prayer

 

Lord Jesus, I know You are here with us right now, walking with us, consoling us, embracing us, loving us. We just need to be aware and conscious of Your presence. Let me not be afraid . Let me receive Your peace. Thank You Jesus and all these we pray in Your Name. Amen.

 

 

 

The Treasure We Seek

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 26 July 2020
First reading 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.” And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?” It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life f your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you.

Second reading                                                          Romans 8:28-30

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Gospel                                                                         Matthew 13:44-52

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. “Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old".

Reflection

By Jose Paulo Gonzales

In today’s Gospel, we are given more parables to describe the Kingdom of Heaven.

In the Parables of the Treasure in the Field and the Pearl of Great Price, we see the true value of the Kingdom of Heaven; so great it is a price that once we find it, we would relinquish all else to keep it.

The Kingdom of Heaven is of such great value that the riches of this world would not match it—all with its eternal glory. But as valuable it is a treasure, there is a great challenge to complete: we must yearn; we must pursue to find it. Truth be told – there is a likelihood that one may stumble upon treasure by pure chance, but he sure increases the probability by seeking treasure every day! And this is where it is great to read between the lines—the lessons given by the parables. There is far too great a harvest, but only few willing to labor (Matthew 9:37), so we must not tire out in doing good, for our harvest will come if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).  

The Parable of the Net closely resembles the Parable of the Wheat in last Sunday’s Gospel; it presents us with a dichotomy of personalities: one group whose goodness can be likened to quality-catch fish, and the other, the evil, resembling the fish to be thrown out. The parable calls us to be like quality-catch fish: that with our good works, we would be good finds ourselves, just like the treasure in the field and the pearl of great price.

Parables about the Kingdom of Heaven sure do give us a wealth of analogies to better understand God’s Kingdom—His reign. They also give us great parameters to determine if we conform to the behaviors of one who can be likened to such treasures. It is my hope that we more closely, day by day become like the treasure we seek so earnestly to find! It is the Holy Spirit who can help us in this daily endeavor.   

Prayer

Abba, thank You for giving us a treasure worth giving up all else just to secure, a great pearl whose quality we should try to harness within ourselves, and good fish whose so being a good catch we should try to be, ourselves.

We could only wait with expectant hope about the glorious eternal life that is about to unfold. Thank You for giving us a great future to hope for. May You always be with us and patiently, unyieldingly help us as we yearn for it with good works.


May our good works and exaltation of You be perpetually pleasing to You as our humble sacrifices, in Jesus’ most holy Name, Amen.

The Culmination of Our Reaping

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 19 July 2020
First reading Wisdom 12:13, 16-19

For who will say, “What have you done?” or who will resist your judgment?
Who will accuse you for the destruction of nations that you made?
 Or who will come before you to plead as an advocate for the unrighteous?

For neither is there any god besides you, whose care is for all people, to whom you should prove that you have not judged unjustly; nor can any king or monarch confront you about those whom you have punished.

You are righteous and you rule all things righteously, deeming it alien to your power to condemn anyone who does not deserve to be punished.
For your strength is the source of righteousness, and your sovereignty over all causes you to spare all.
For you show your strength when people doubt the completeness of your power, and you rebuke any insolence among those who know it.
 Although you are sovereign in strength, you judge with mildness, and with great forbearance you govern us; for you have power to act whenever you choose.
Through such works you have taught your people that the righteous must be kind, and you have filled your children with good hope, because you give repentance for sins.

Second reading                                                          Romans 8:26-27

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Gospel                                                                          Matthew 13:24-43

Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'”

He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.” Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.” Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds ar the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!

Reflection

By Jose Paulo Gonzales

The Gospel for today gives us three parables that describe the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God has been laid out in different stories to characterize it faithfully, but in our Catechism classes, we learn that the Kingdom of God is the reign of God.

Parables pertaining to the Kingdom of God typically present us with ranges of behavior, some we should veer away from, but one we should emulate. 

In the first parable in today’s Gospel, the wheat can be likened to the good, and the weeds, the evil. 

In the second parable, the good have been likened to a mustard seed which, while at first is unnoticeable, can grow up to be the most magnificent of trees—being of such great function with its size and sturdiness. 

The third parable likens the good to the leaven in the bread, which, although sporadic and separately spread at first, can still permeate the whole and transform the bread, making it rise.

Today’s Gospel gives us insightful takes on how we could be as children of God. As wheat, we are planted in the world with the weed. We have read in the Bible how we should not conform to the pattern of the world (Romans 12:2), but to be in it to spread the Word (Mark 16:15), to be the salt that does not lose its taste (Matthew 5:13), and the light that shines good deeds to others for the Father’s glory (Matthew 5:14-16), not only ours. We could start as small as the mustard seed, or as sporadic as the leaven in the bread, but if we grow, develop some more, and pursue, we could still deliver what God has called us to do.


While we are planted with the weed and grow with the weed, we may suffer for a while in doing good, but we should not tire of doing good, for in the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9). While we have small achievements and blessings from the Lord to celebrate here on earth, the culmination of our reaping is at the appointed time of harvest—the end of days. 

Prayer

Lord, thank You for giving us Your parables so we could understand Your Kingdom better. As the wheat, please help us become quality harvest. As the mustard seed, please help us so that even if we start small, we still achieve the good You called us to do.

Please help us in our daily walk in life so we become more and more like Jesus, the perfect example of faith and good works.

May we radiate You forever even with our humble works, in Jesus’ most holy Name, Amen.