Pagtawid: Ang Awa at ang Pagkabuhay ng ating Panginoon

    

Ikalawang Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay / Linggo ng Banal na Awa

07 Abril 2024

 

Unang Pagbasa: Gawa 4:32-35

Salmong Tugunan: 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

Ikalawang Pagbasa: 1 Jn 5:1-6

Mabuting Balita: Jn 20:19-31

 

Repleksyon

Ni: Bro. Emerson C. Maala

Bahagi na ng tradisyon ng pagdiriwang ng mga mahal na araw na may mga gumaganap na Apostoles ng ating Panginoong Hesus. Ito'y isang paraan din ng ebanghelisyason upang maipakilala ang labindalawang apostoles sa mga tao.

Sa isang karanasan dito sa bayan ng Taytay, sa probinsiya ng Palawan, ang mga gumaganap na mga apostoles ay hindi lamang makikita sa tatlong araw na pagdiriwang ng pagpapakasakit at pagkabuhay ng Panginoon, bagkus sila ay nagbabahay-bahay upang mag-imbita sa magaganap na pagdiriwang at gayundin ay maipanalangin ang Tahanan at ang Pamilya. Sa aking pakikipagkwentuhan sa kanila, masaya nilang ibinabahagi ang kanilang mga naging karanasan. "Alam niyo brother, unang beses ko na gumanap bilang apostoles. Bagama't nakakapagod dahil sa init at layo ng nilalakad dahil ilang bundok  ang tinawid namin, masaya dahil tuwang tuwa yung isang sitio na pinuntahan namin. Akala nila, hindi namin sila pupuntahan. May Awa talaga ang Diyos. Sinamahan kami sa paglalakbay na ito." 

Pagtawid at Awa ng Diyos.

Sa patuloy nating pagdiriwang ng muling pagkabuhay ng ating Panginoong Hesukristo, at ang ikalawang Linggo ng Pagkabuhay ay tinatawag din na Divine Mercy Sunday, inaanyayahan tayo nito sa patuloy nating pagtawid sa buhay kasama ng ating Panginoon.

Pagtawid. Mula sa salitang tawid na ang ibig sabihin ay pagpunta o pagtungo mula sa isang lugar o sitwasyon patungo sa isa pang lugar o sitwasyon. Ito ang karanasan ni Hesus sa kanyang pagpapakasakit, pagkamatay at pagkabuhay. Tinawid ni Hesus ang kamatayan patungo sa Kanyang buhay na walang hanggan. Bakit? Dahil sa Awa. Awa ng Diyos Ama kaya Niya ibinigay sa atin ang Kanyang Bugtong na Anak. At gayundin, nang dahil sa Awa, tinawid naman ni Hesus ang hirap na kanyang dinanas upang sa gayon, tayo ay maligtas mula sa kadiliman ng kasalanan. Awa na patuloy niyang ipinagkakaloob sa atin sa kabila din ng mga marami nating pagkukulang.

Marami sa atin ang may karanasan ng Pagtawid. Maaaring, pagtawid ng dagat. Pagtawid ng kalsada. Pagtawid sa himpapawid. At gayundin, sa marami din nating pagtawid sa karanasan ng ating buhay. Gayunpaman, sa bawat pagtawid natin, hindi nawawala ang mga pagasubok. Mga bagay na nagbibigay takot at nagpapahina sa ating loob upang makatawid. 

Sa mabuting balita, matinding takot ang naging karanasan ng mga alagad na kanilang hinarap upang makatawid sa kanilang pananampalataya. Nakasarado ang mga pintuan at bintana dahil bilang mga taga-sunod ni Hesus ay maaaring mangyari din sa kanila ang sinapit ng ating Panginoong Hesus. Ngunit hindi naging matagumpay ang takot na ito. Dahil sa tulong ni Hesus, itinawid Niya ang mga apostol mula sa takot, patungo sa patuloy na pananampalataya na nagdudulot ng kagalakan at pag-aalab ng mga puso. 

Gaya din ng sabi ni San Juan sa kanyang sulat, nagtatagumpay tayo sa pamamagitan ng pananampalataya. Sa pamamagitan ng panampalataya, sumisibol ang puso na handang magtaya, kahit ng buhay at kamatayan para sa Diyos at kapwa. 

Bunga nito, ang mga apostol ay patuloy na nagpatotoo sa muling pagkabuhay ni Hesus. Buong tapang na ipinahayag na si Hesus ay muling nabuhay at gayundin ay naging daluyan ng Awa ng Panginoon, na magpasahanggang ngayon ay patuloy nating tinatanggap.

Katulad ni Hesus na tumawid mula sa kamatayan patungo sa buhay na walang hanggan at ng mga apostol na tumawid mula takot patungo sa pagsaksi sa muling pagkabuhay ni Hesus, tayo rin ay inaanyayahang tumawid mula sa lumbay patungo sa pag-aalab ng pananampalataya, gayundin sa pagtawid mula sa mga kasalanan patungo sa grasya at Mabathalang Awa ng Diyos. Dahil ang Diyos ay patuloy na nagbibigay sa atin ng kanyang Awa. Amen.

Panalangin:

Ama naming maaawin, patuloy Mo kaming kalingain. May mga takot din kami sa buhay na humahadlang sa aming pananampalataya sa Iyo. Patuloy mo kaming bigyan ng Iyong Awa, dahil hindi kami karapat-dapat sa ginawang pagpapakasakit ni Hesus sa Krus. Nawa sa pamamagitan nito, ay patuloy na mag-alab sa aming mga puso ang aming pananampalataya sa Iyo, sa pamamagitan ng Iyong anak na aming Panginoong Hesukristo, kasamang Espiritu Santo, magpasawalang hanggan. Amen.

God's Saving Moments

   

  Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

15 August 2022 

 

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

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

Second Reading: 1 Cor 15:20-27

Gospel: Lk 1:39-56

 

Reflection

By: Grace Madrinan

 

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;

my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour

for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is His Name." - Luke 1:46-49

When was the last time you felt so much gratitude that you glorified God and exclaimed an unending hymn of praises?

Reading the Gospel today reminded me of a similar experience. It was sixteen years ago but still I remember it as if it was only yesterday. I received the news that I got accepted in another role for a different department I applied for. After working for the same thankless job for eight years, I felt redeemed and liberated. I learned from my new manager that the role was a promotion and that I need to travel to the US frequently for the job. I only asked God to be moved to another department, but God granted me more.

There are still other instances when God lifted me to praise and each time felt like I'm floating and singing. Nothing but gratitude for all the graces He bestowed upon me. He has seen me through all my tears and my quiet struggles.

How about you? Can you recall God's saving moments? He has redeemed you before and He will do it again.

Prayer

Father, we are truly elated for Your unending blessings! Teach us to be truly grateful, living a life worthy of Your grace. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

God’s Generosity vs. Human’s Selfishness

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time20 September 2020
First reading Isaiah 55:6-9

Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Second reading                                                          Philippians 1:20-24, 27

It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again. Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel.

Gospel                                                                          Matthew 20:1-16

Jesus said to his disciples: “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.’

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage.

Now when the first came they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Reflection

By Ma. Rosalina S. Flores

When I was in high school, our substitute Math teacher gave us a quiz. I was happy because I topped the exam, 98% if I remembered it right. My hard work in solving algebraic expressions paid off. As someone who was known in class for not copying and never allowing others to copy from me, getting the highest score was really an achievement. But, I never expected the next scenario, as the teacher said that my score will also benefit my classmates who were exempted from the exam, for they represented our school to a Math Quiz Bee the other day, although they did not qualify. My score in the test will be their scores too. I must admit that I felt like being cheated. I could not comprehend the wisdom behind the decision. Since they were exempted, I did not mind if the teacher just give them 100%, but please do not make us even by giving them the same score as mine. Because it seemed to me that I took the exam for them which I found unfair. I was the one who planted but others harvested. When the teacher finished his three-month stay in our school was the point that I let go of my bitterness and accepted his wisdom although I did not fully understand.

In today's Gospel, the vineyard workers were also upset because of the good treatment of the landowner towards the latecomer laborers. Even though the latecomers worked for only one hour, they still received the usual daily wage, equal amount as the pay of those workers who toiled the day's burden and the heat. Despite the grumbling, the landowner stood firm on his decision and generosity.

At first glance, because we think as humans, we will surely agree that the landowner was quite unfair. Why did he give equal pay to each one of them? In the normal job setup, people are paid according to the number of hours they worked for. Those who work less will receive less, and those who work more will be given more - daily minimum wage plus overtime if necessary. But as the Prophet Isaiah proclaimed in our First Reading today, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD", the wisdom and actions of God as symbolized by the landowner in the parable cannot be fully figured out. There are things in our life that cannot be explained because events will unfold according to God's plan and timing. We just have to trust Him.

Another issue presented in the Gospel is human's selfishness compare to God's generosity. Men are naturally selfish but God is ever generous. From the time He created the world and us, to the giving of His own beloved Son to save us from our sins, God will never be outdone in generosity. And that became the problem of the vineyard workers; they felt insecure on how generous the landowner was – a trait that they do not possess. We should be cautious of the two faces of human's selfishness as described in today's Gospel: the desire to be the sole recipient of one's generosity known as greed and the envy towards others' goodness.

Today's parable is also a reminder to all of us that knowing Jesus is a constant call. It does not mean that we heed His call earlier than the others; we are far better and can be sure of eternal life. In fact, those who are following Jesus at this point in time must be more vigilant because they could fall to the sins of complacency and pride. The early the call, the long road to walk on, but rest assured that Jesus is there as our great companion in the journey. And those who will be heeding the call lastly should not be worried, too. Because just like the repentant thief on the cross who was brought by Jesus to paradise, there is no late and last, but always God's perfect timing of changing a stoned-heart. We will be saved by God's grace and not by our good deeds.

Prayer

Lord, teach me to be generous in love as You are to me and all. Give me a heart that finds delight on your generosity to others. Likewise, let me heed Your call now, for journeying with You is always the best and most certain in this world. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

Keep the Lamp Burning

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time   12 November 2017

First reading

Wisdom 6:12-16

Wisdom is bright, and does not grow dim.
By those who love her she is readily seen,
and found by those who look for her.
Quick to anticipate those who desire her, she makes herself known to them.
Watch for her early and you will have no trouble;
you will find her sitting at your gates.
Even to think about her is understanding fully grown;
be on the alert for her and anxiety will quickly leave you.
She herself walks about looking for those who are worthy of her
and graciously shows herself to them as they go,
in every thought of theirs coming to meet them.

                

Second reading

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

We want you to be quite certain, brothers, about those who have died, to make sure that you do not grieve about them, like the other people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him. We can tell you this from the Lord’s own teaching, that any of us who are left alive until the Lord’s coming will not have any advantage over those who have died. At the trumpet of God, the voice of the archangel will call out the command and the Lord himself will come down from heaven; those who have died in Christ will be the first to rise, and then those of us who are still alive will be taken up in the clouds, together with them; to meet the Lord in the air. So we shall stay with the Lord for ever. With such thoughts as these you should comfort one another.

Gospel

Matthew 25:1-13

Jesus told this parable to his disciples: ‘The kingdom of heaven will be like this: Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they brought no oil, whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps. The bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. But at midnight there was a cry, “The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him.” At this, all those bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, “Give us some of your oil: our lamps are going out.” But they replied, “There may not be enough for us and for you; you had better go to those who sell it and buy some for yourselves.” They had gone off to buy it when the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding hall and the door was closed. The other bridesmaids arrived later. “Lord, Lord,” they said “open the door for us.” But he replied, “I tell you solemnly, I do not know you.” So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour.’

Reflection

by Art B. Reyes

Were you at one time had a low battery power in your mobile phone? There is no worst situation than having a dead phone in the middle of something. If you are like the majority of people, that low battery warning will leave you feeling panicked and hunting for a spare charger. One major mobile company in the US describes this condition as 'Low Battery Anxiety' and says that nearly 9 out of 10 people suffer from the fear of losing power on their phone.

Our Gospel for today talks about the parable of the ten bridesmaids. It is one of the well known parables of Jesus. According to the Gospel, the five bridesmaids who are prepared for the bridegroom's arrival are rewarded, while the five who are not prepared are disowned.

The story is a big warning to be prepared for God whenever our “time” has finally come. We must ensure that our ‘lamps’ would not run out of gas – and are kept alive with the light of God’s Word. Being always ready is not about just preparing and doing more. We make ourselves ready by recognizing the grace of God. The Lord tells us to stay focused on Him so that we won’t get adrift. 

The distress of daily life can also take away our focus on the Lord. Our never ending concern for power and wealth distracts us from welcoming God in our life. Life is a short journey, let us live it right. We might struggle from time to time, veer away from the way the Lord wants us to take; but God is merciful. We can always rise up and steer back to the right direction if we ask for His forgiveness. 

Prayer

Lord, our God, grant that we may be ready to receive Christ when He comes in glory and to share in the banquet of heaven, where He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Our Last Hope, In Fact Our Only Hope

Christ the King
November 24, 2013

Lord God, how great you are, clothed in majesty and glory, wrapped in light as in a robe. Alleluia.

First Reading: 2 Samuel 5:1-3

All the tribes of Israel then came to David at Hebron. ‘Look’ they said ‘we are your own flesh and blood. In days past when Saul was our king, it was you who led Israel in all their exploits; and the Lord said to you, “You are the man who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you shall be the leader of Israel.”’ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a pact with them at Hebron in the presence of the Lord, and they anointed David king of Israel.

Psalm: Psalm 121:1-5

Second Reading: Colosians 1:12-20

We give thanks to the Father who has made it possible for you to join the saints and with them to inherit the light.

  Because that is what he has done: he has taken us out of the power of darkness and created a place for us in the kingdom of the Son that he loves, and in him, we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins.

He is the image of the unseen God

and the first-born of all creation,

for in him were created

all things in heaven and on earth:

everything visible and everything invisible,

Thrones, Dominations, Sovereignties, Powers –

all things were created through him and for him.

Before anything was created, he existed,

and he holds all things in unity.

Now the Church is his body,

he is its head.

As he is the Beginning,

he was first to be born from the dead,

so that he should be first in every way;

because God wanted all perfection

to be found in him

and all things to be reconciled through him and for him,

everything in heaven and everything on earth,

when he made peace

by his death on the cross.

Gospel: Luke 23:35-43

The people stayed there before the cross watching Jesus. As for the leaders, they jeered at him. ‘He saved others,’ they said ‘let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.’ The soldiers mocked him too, and when they approached to offer vinegar they said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ Above him there was an inscription: ‘This is the King of the Jews.’

  One of the criminals hanging there abused him. ‘Are you not the Christ?’ he said. ‘Save yourself and us as well.’ But the other spoke up and rebuked him. ‘Have you no fear of God at all?’ he said. ‘You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it: we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus,’ he said ‘remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ ‘Indeed, I promise you,’ he replied ‘today you will be with me in paradise.’

Reflection

By Nats Vibiesca

Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer is here again. There are times that I do not know anymore what to do with my stubborn pimple. It’s always hanging around my nose. I’ve tried already the art of pricking. I’ve experimented also on some scientifically proven formulated soap. Avoided peanuts and indulge more on bananas.   Still, Rudolf keeps me company. Right just in its favourite location: the tip of my nose. Please transfer somewhere else I helplessly pleaded on this teeny-weeny-itchy pimple. Yet it won’t leave me.  

Just like a temptation, it keeps coming back. But temptations are cleverer than my stubborn pimple. Temptations transform to various forms that is not easy to detect or see. Temptations do not have a favourite place. It always strikes anywhere at any time. Chances are, one will realize the temptation after falling into it. Then, we confess our sins, do penance, promise to amend our life, and do reparation for the sins committed. We even strike our breast during the Mass to show sincere reconciliation with God. But not long enough we commit the same mistake and fall on the same sins. This time we intensify our reparation for our sins. We attend recollection, retreat, and other spiritual activities. We do our best to be good and to live a holy life, only to find ourselves stumbling again on the same sins. It’s a vicious cycle that we don’t know how to break it.

On our own, it seems impossible to break the habit of sin. We must rely on the grace of God. Like in the Gospel, Jesus as a king, grant royal pardon to the repentant criminal to obtain eternal life in paradise. It is only through total dependence on God that we become strong over temptations and defeat bondage of sins. If we have tried everything to resist temptations and renounce sins but still fail… our last hope, in fact our only hope, is to ask Jesus—our King, to remember us sinners and bring us to paradise. It is through accepting Jesus as our king that we may imitate his kind of royalty. Jesus’ love is contagious and when we received his love, we also share love to those who needs it.                   

Prayer

Dear Jesus, our only King and Lord, we ask You to bless us by forgiving our sins as we hope to obtain Your promise of eternal life in heaven. Give us always the courage to accept our shortcomings and confess to You our weaknesses so that You will shower us with the blessings we need to obtain salvation. Amen.         

Moving Forward

“ Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

First Reading: Isaiah 43:16-21

Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters,who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.

Psalm: Psalm 126:1-6

Second Reading: Philippians 3:8-14

Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith; that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Gospel: John 8:1-11

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?" This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus looked up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again."
 

Reflection

By Fely Santiago

 

“Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new!... Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the torrents in the southern desert. Those that sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.”

The reason why we are never happy is because we always think of the past. “If only….”. I am guilty of this as well. But the Lord has assured us, remember not the events of the past, I am doing something NEW! What a great assurance. If we only put our TRUST in God!

I remember in one Feast I attended with Bro Bo Sanchez, he shared a story of how he failed in many businesses while starting his journey to become an entrepreneur. And there was one time he lost his life savings to a bad deal with a friend! But instead of giving up, he continued and prayed to God to return what was lost to him 10 times!! And God did! Now he is earning much much more and all that was lost from him was given back more than 10 times! This really struck me! Asking the Lord to return what was lost 10 times! I never prayed like this before. Yes I do that now! I also pray to God if I lose something to return and give it back to me 10 times more!

When I retired from Intel and got my retirement money, one the biggest mistake I committed was to lend some money and earn interest from them. I got paid for some but there was some who did not pay me until now! When I remember that I really felt bad! How could people be so irresponsible! They come to you begging to help them with their financial problems then forget to pay your back! But I have learned to let go and just like Bro Bo, I just prayed that God bless them and return to me in other ways what I lost 10 times more. And God did!!!

So I encourage you to pray the same! Do not keep on looking back at what you have lost, but have hope that the BEST is yet to come! Learn to LET GO. Claim a floodgate of blessings is coming your way! Pray that all that you lose will be given back by God 10x times more! Whether it’s a failed business, loss from robbery or theft, bad investments, borrowed money that was never returned or paid back, etc. Our God is a BIG GOD! He is super rich! And super generous. Just obey Him, love Him and serve Him and TRUST in Him.

In Jeremiah 29.11 – “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”.

Prayer

 

Dear Lord, thank You for Your encouraging words. Help me to always enjoy the present filled with so much hope for the future despite what happened in the past. The BEST is yet to come! Help me to move forward, never giving up until I am with You in eternity. Thank You Lord. Amen.

Humus

25th Sunday In Ordinary Time
20 September 2009


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


First reading Wisdom 2:12,17-20
The godless say to themselves:
‘Let us lie in wait for the virtuous man, since he annoys us
and opposes our way of life,
reproaches us for our breaches of the law
and accuses us of playing false to our upbringing.
‘Let us see if what he says is true,
let us observe what kind of end he himself will have.
If the virtuous man is God’s son, God will take his part
and rescue him from the clutches of his enemies.
Let us test him with cruelty and with torture,
and thus explore this gentleness of his
and put his endurance to the proof.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death
since he will be looked after – we have his word for it.’

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 53:3-6,8

Second reading James 3:16-4:3Wherever you find jealousy and ambition, you find disharmony, and wicked things of every kind being done; whereas the wisdom that comes down from above is essentially something pure; it also makes for peace, and is kindly and considerate; it is full of compassion and shows itself by doing good; nor is there any trace of partiality or hypocrisy in it. Peacemakers, when they work for peace, sow the seeds which will bear fruit in holiness.

Where do these wars and battles between yourselves first start? Isn’t it precisely in the desires fighting inside your own selves? You want something and you haven’t got it; so you are prepared to kill. You have an ambition that you cannot satisfy; so you fight to get your way by force. Why you don’t have what you want is because you don’t pray for it; when you do pray and don’t get it, it is because you have not prayed properly, you have prayed for something to indulge your own desires.

Gospel Mark 9:30-37
After leaving the mountain Jesus and his disciples made their way through Galilee; and he did not want anyone to know, because he was instructing his disciples; he was telling them, ‘The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men; they will put him to death; and three days after he has been put to death he will rise again.’ But they did not understand what he said and were afraid to ask him.

They came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the road?’ They said nothing because they had been arguing which of them was the greatest. So he sat down, called the Twelve to him and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.’ He then took a little child, set him in front of them, put his arms round him, and said to them, ‘Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’


Reflection
By Fidji Rivera - Sarmiento

Today, let me share with you the Litany of Humility that my Lola shared with me way back my grade school days.
O Jesus meek and humble of heart, hear me
From the desire of being esteemed.........Deliver Me Jesus
From the desire of being loved.............Deliver me Jesus
From the desire of being extolled ..........Deliver me Jesus
From the desire of being honored..............Deliver me Jesus
From the desire of being praised......... Deliver me Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred.........Deliver me Jesus
From the desire of being consulted...........Deliver me Jesus
From the desire of being approved.............Deliver me Jesus
From the fear of being humiliated.........Deliver me Jesus
From the fear of being despised............Deliver me Jesus
From the fear of suffering rebukes..............Deliver me Jesus
From the fear of being calumniated...........Deliver me Jesus
From the fear of being forgotten................ Deliver me Jesus
From the fear of being ridiculed..............Deliver me Jesus
From the fear of being wronged............Deliver me Jesus
From the fear of being suspected...........Deliver me Jesus
That others may be loved more than I..........Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it
That others may be esteemed more than I ................Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it
That in the opinion of the world others may increase and I may decrease..............Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it
That others may be chosen and I set aside............Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it
That others may be praised and I unnoticed............Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may became as holy as I should.............Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. Amen and amen.

(His Eminence Cardinal Merry del Val was accustomed to recite daily after he celebrated the Holy Mass; Imprimatur James A McNulty Bishop of Paterson NJ)

Now, true humility is a value easier said than done. That is basically why we pray for it. It is but with the grace of God together with our willful effort that we are able to practice humility in our lives. Being humble is not about unrecognizing your talents, but about knowing what your abilities are and using them to serve others. It is not about being shabby with your appearance, but rather caring for yourself as your humble response to God's temple - your body. It is not about choosing to be stagnant at any position you are in, or merely deciding to stay in the background. It is more of knowing when to voice out your heart in a way that you can glorify the Lord with your actions.

We all know how children are - their simplicity, curiosity, and honesty. That is how Jesus would want us to be in order for us to gain eternal life. We have to realize that no matter how intelligent humans have become, Jesus seeks that we remain in awe of God's goodness. We don't want to wait for that time when all good things come to end, and we are at a loss for never appreciating how God has been working in our lives.










Next week on God-speak
Krabby Patty