No Time to be Complacent

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

19 July 2026

 

First Reading: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16

Second Reading: Romans 8:26-27

Gospel: Matthew 13:24-43

 

Reflection

By: Pietro S. Albano

 

Franz Jägerstätter was an Austrian farmer, husband, and father who was beheaded for refusing to serve in the Nazi Army. Commenting on today’s Gospel, he wrote, “If God were to take away the persecutors, there would no longer be martyrs. If God were to remove all struggles from our lives, we would no longer receive the crown of glory.” Indeed, we often discover that God draws a straight line from what seems crooked in the world. Think of the various forms of persecution that Christians such as Franz, Lorenzo Ruiz, Pedro Calungsod, and others down the ages have encountered. These have become avenues for the Word of God to thrive in peoples’ hearts. As Tertullian’s famous saying goes, “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church”.

Living our faith is not easy. The good seed that Jesus sows in the world are constantly challenged by the weeds sown by the devil. Sometimes, we tend to be complacent, especially if we live where practicing our faith is allowed. Imagine living somewhere else where there are few churchgoers or where persecution is staring in front of you. It made me think: Will I let my faith shine through or hide it under a bowl (Mt 5:15)?

Living in Europe for many years made me realize how valuable my faith is. Unlike the churches in the Philippines were there are lots of priests and Sunday Masses and churches are full, here it’s the opposite. I recall Msgr Nestor Cerbo’s prayer when he hosted a farewell party for me: to be a missionary. By God’s grace, I carry on that role in my own small way in our parish.

Today’s Gospel constantly challenges us to remain vigilant and persevering so we can be like the good soil that became fruitful (Mt 13:1-23). We may falter along the journey, but that should not make us disheartened because “the Spirit helps us in our weakness” (Rm 8:26).  

 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, show Your strength in our moments of doubt. Fill us with good hope that we may consistently follow Your Son who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In His Name, we pray. Amen.

The Good Harvest

    

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

23 July 2023

 

First Reading: Wis 12:13, 16-19

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16

Second Reading: Rom 8:26-27

Gospel: Mt 13:24-43

 

Reflection

By: Ma. Rosalina S. Flores

 

Last Sunday's Gospel talked about the different kinds of soil to where the seeds fell as the sower went out to sow, putting emphasis on the rich soil that bears a hundredfold. Today, Jesus again proposed another parable, and this time it is about the kinds of harvest to which good seeds definitely produce good harvests.

We often hear the saying "Kapag may itinanim, may aanihin" (When something is planted, something is reaped)". But it is not enough that we reaped something, we should aim to have good harvests. Try to ask the farmers and you will know that they plant the good seeds, put up water irrigation, use pesticides as needed ensuring to have a good yield in the harvest season. Their work does not end in planting, instead, they exert constant effort to have a good reap.

Today, the Church celebrates the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly. It is the third year of the celebration since Pope Francis established it in January 2021 that the fourth Sunday of July of each year be dedicated to our grandparents and the elderly as it is near the liturgical memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus. Our Gospel reading today also fits the celebration as our elders are one of the examples of good harvests. They have aged healthily, blessed with wisdom, and competed well in their life's journey here on earth.

Just like our elders and farmers, may we double our hard work to become good harvests at the judgment day. Remember that Our Lord has made us good from the time we are conceived and continued to cultivate us to become good with His sacraments and teachings hoping that although the enemy plants weeds in the night, may we still emerge as good yield at the harvest time. This we can do, when we constantly seek Jesus in our life and reconcile with Him when commiting sin, knowing that He is good and forgiving.

Prayer

Lord, help us to become good harvests. Surely, we will experience many downfalls on the road, but help us to get back on track comforted with Your mercy and unconditional love for us. This we ask in Jesus' Name, Amen.

Ang Mabuting Punla

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

23 July 2017

First reading                                                                                                       Wisdom 12:13,16-19

There is no god, other than you, who cares for every thing,
to whom you might have to prove that you never judged unjustly;
Your justice has its source in strength,
your sovereignty over all makes you lenient to all.
You show your strength when your sovereign power is questioned
and you expose the insolence of those who know it;
but, disposing of such strength, you are mild in judgement,
you govern us with great lenience,
for you have only to will, and your power is there.
By acting thus you have taught a lesson to your people
how the virtuous man must be kindly to his fellow men,
and you have given your sons the good hope
that after sin you will grant repentance.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 85(86):5-6,9-10,15-16

Second reading                                                                                                     Romans 8:26-27

The Spirit comes to help us in our weakness. For when we cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words, and God who knows everything in our hearts knows perfectly well what he means, and that the pleas of the saints expressed by the Spirit are according to the mind of God.

Gospel Acclamation Alleluia, alleluia! May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our mind, so that we can see what hope his call holds for us. Alleluia!

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Gospel	Matthew 13:24-30

Jesus put another parable before the crowds: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everybody was asleep his enemy came, sowed darnel all among the wheat, and made off. When the new wheat sprouted and ripened, the darnel appeared as well. The owner’s servants went to him and said, “Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? If so, where does the darnel come from?” “Some enemy has done this” he answered. And the servants said, “Do you want us to go and weed it out?” But he said, “No, because when you weed out the darnel you might pull up the wheat with it. Let them both grow till the harvest; and at harvest time I shall say to the reapers: First collect the darnel and tie it in bundles to be burnt, then gather the wheat into my barn.”’

Reflection

by Nats Vibiesca

Kapag may isinusulong akong proyekto, madalas na nakakarinig ako ng mga negatibong komento (mula sa ibang tao, minsa’y mula pa sa mga kaibigan ko) tungkol sa ibang tao na gusto ko sanang maging bahagi ng proyekto. Kesyo masama ang ugali ng taong iyan, kesyo mapagsamantala iyan, kesyo mahirap katrabaho yan, at marami pang iba. Mabuti na lang, hindi na ako mabilis panghinaan ng loob sa ngayon, dahil kung pakikinggan ko sila’y wala akong masisimulang proyekto, sa takot na makasama ang mga masasamang tao ayon sa kanilang pagkakakilala.

Ang ibig kong sabihi’y hindi ko dapat agad husgahan ang pagkatao nila ayon sa sabi ng ibang tao. Kung minsa’y ‘yung inaakala nating masamang tao ay hindi naman pala. Kaya nga sa sarili kong salin, parang ganito ang sabi ni Jesus sa talinghaga ng mga damo sa triguhan: Aba! Teka muna, masyado pang maaga para bunutin ang mga damo, baka mapagkamalan ninyong damo ang mga trigo, sayang naman. E, kasi nga’y madalas tayong nagmamadali, gusto natin agad ng mabilis na solusyon, mabilis na husga para magkaalam-alam agad, kaya’t kahit konting pagdududa’y sinusundan agad natin ng paghuhusga.

Hindi ba’t pati nga ang Diyos ay pinagdududahan natin: baka naman hindi talaga mabuting binhi ang isinaboy niya? Nagcheck ka ba Lord kung puro binhi ‘yon o baka naman nahaluan na ng damo? Aba’y bunutin na natin agad! Madalas na ganyan nga tayo sa harap ng Diyos, walang kasing yabang. Wait! Sabi uli ni Lord. Relaks lang kasi, ako ang bahala. Hayaan nyo lang muna, mas madali kasing malaman ang pagkakaiba ng mga damo sa trigo kung malago na sa panahon ng anihan. Sa tamang panahon, madali nating makikita ang pagkakaiba: yumuyukod kasi ang mga trigo dahil sa bitbit nitong bunga, nagpapakumbaba sa Diyos habang inaalay ang kanyang biyayang bunga; samantalang namamataas naman ang damo, tirik na tirik ang ulo sa harap ng Diyos kahit wala namang bungang pakinabang na inihahain.

Tatlo talagang magagandang kwento ang hain ni Jesus sa atin sa paraang patalinghaga: ang tingin ko sa una’y pinag-iingat tayo ng Diyos upang huwag ngang maging mapanghusga, bagkus magpakumbaba sa alay nating ibinunga ng kabutihan ng binhing itinanim sa atin. Ibig sabihi’y ibalik natin sa Diyos ang bunga ng binhi sa pamamagitan ng pagbabahagi ng mga biyaya sa ating kapwa.

 Ang ikalawang talinghaga’y tungkol sa pagbabagong anyo ng pinakamaliit na buto—ang buto ng mustasa. Tayo ang pinakamaliit na buto ng mustasa, ang pinakamaliit na pananampalataya natin, pinakamaliit na kakayahan natin, pinakaabang kalagayan natin, sa simula’y wala naman talaga tayong maipagmamalaki dahil sa kaliitan natin. Pero hindi natin dapat pangambahan ang kaliitang ito dahil laging pinayayabong ng Diyos ang bawat pinakamaliliit na binhing kanyang itinatanim. Laging hangad ni Lord na maging big time tayo, ayaw niyang manatiling walang-wala tayo dahil kung magiging mayabong tao, mataas na puno, mabungang puno, napakaraming pakinabang ang maibibigay natin sa ating kapwa. Lagi kasing ganoon ang gusto ng Diyos na hindi dapat manatili sa ating sarili lang ang pagiging malago, kailangang laging naibabahagi rin ito sa iba.
Pero hindi naman ganoon kadali maging mayabong. Kailangang paghirapan din natin ang pag-unlad. Tulad ng ikatlong talinghaga ni Jesus, bukod sa kailangang lagyan ng pampaalsa ang mga harina, kailangang ihalo ito nang mabuti, matiyagang minamasa ito at saka iluluto para makitang umalsa na nga ang tinapay bago ibahagi sa kakain. Kung patuloy na magsisikap sa paggawa, pagsisikap man sa pananampalataya, pagsisikap sa pagmamahal, pagsisikap sa kabutihan, pagsisikap sa pagtulong sa kapwa, o kung anupamang bagay na lagit lagi namang dapat lahukan ng pagsisikap, siguradong aalsa ito, lalago, yayabong, mag-uumapaw, hindi lang para sa sarili kundi para ito sa iba pa na higit na nangangailangan.

Panalangin

Ama namin sa langit, maraming salamat sa binhi ng kabutihan na itinanim mo sa aming mga puso. Nawa'y amin itong mapatubo, mapagbunga at maipamahagi sa aming kapwa para sa ikadadakila ng Ngalan Mo at ng Iyong Anak na si Hesus. Amen.