The Beatitudes

    

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

29 January 2023

 

First Reading: Zep 2:3, 3:12-13

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10

Second Reading: 1 Cor 1:26-31

Gospel: Mt 5:1-12a

 

Reflection

By: Cereza Ana Balla

 

Growing up, I watched countless movies, cartoons, and animes. And I have also read a variety of novels and fictional stories, of which most have classic plot lines. There are stories about a lovely girl being saved and happily ever after with her knight in shining armor. Others tell tales of how  nice boy with humble origins or a tragic past encounters someone or something that will encourage him to become a great hero who fights for peace and unity.

Cliché as they may be, they do a great job showing the audience the merits of being good, the joys after the sorrows, and that there is always someone or something that will either be with you or help you move forward. If you think about it, it is no different to how Jesus tells us in this Sunday's gospel that in showing and spreading the goodness, we will also be blessed. That in our humbleness and in our sorrows, we will also be blessed. And through life's ups and downs, God will always be there to help, to comfort, and to give rewards.

In summary, through the beatitudes God promises that

  'for better or for worse

   for richer or for poorer

    in sickness and in health,

     He promises to love and cherish you.'

Prayer

Our Father, You are truly Almighty. Thank You for Your unending love and blessings. May You continue to be by our side, to be our mentor when we are confused and lost, to be our comforter when we are down, and to be our fairy godfather in times of need. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Cez is the second eldest daughter amongst the four Marias of two wonderful parents, Anabelle and her husband.

Bawal ang Nakasimangot

Ash Wednesday 26 February 2020
First reading Joel 2:12-18

“Now, now,” says the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.”

Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil. Who knows whether he will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, a cereal offering and a drink offering for the Lord, your God?

Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants.

Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, “Spare your people, O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, `Where is their God?'” Then the Lord became jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.

Second reading                                                         2 Corinthians 5:20 — 6:2

We are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, “At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.” See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!

Gospel                                                                         Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Reflection

By Pietro S. Albano

It seems to me that the humorous warning Bawal ang nakasimangot (No frowning allowed) posted in some public places in the Philippines originated from God. In Genesis (4:5-8), God asked Cain why he scowled when Abel's offering were accepted by God instead of Cain's. In today's Gospel, Jesus criticized the hypocrites for disfiguring their faces to make it obvious that they were fasting.

Lent is upon us once again! Indeed, the practices of prayer, almsgiving, and fasting come into the fore. And as the weeks go by, our Lenten observance becomes more intense and reaches its climax in Holy Week.

Jesus doesn't see any problem with these practices. What displeased Him was the hypocrites using these practices to advance their own agenda, as though ticking a checklist of things to do. They practiced these noble works out of obligation, nothing more, nothing less. And because "It's just obligation", I would imagine them feeling napipilitan (forced) to do these. With this kind of feeling, comes unhappiness. And what better way of showing unhappiness? Sumimangot (frown)!

Jesus' warning to His followers is still relevant to our times. There is a danger that our Lenten practices would turn us into hypocrites, that we behave "holier than thou". Let's ask for the grace to understand why we are doing these practices and to weed out the wrong from the right reasons. Doing so, we will be filled with happiness. And if we are happy in our prayer life, in reaching out to the poor, and in doing sacrifices such as fasting and abstinence, that just means one thing: we love God.

Prayer

Merciful Father, cleanse our hearts from pride and hypocrisy so that we may observe this holy season with a smile in our faces and love in our hearts. In Jesus' Name.  Amen. 

Fidget Spinner

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

09 July 2017

First reading                                                                                               Zechariah 9:9-10

The Lord says this:
Rejoice heart and soul, daughter of Zion!
Shout with gladness, daughter of Jerusalem!
See now, your king comes to you;
he is victorious, he is triumphant,
humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
He will banish chariots from Ephraim
and horses from Jerusalem;
the bow of war will be banished.
He will proclaim peace for the nations.
His empire shall stretch from sea to sea,
from the River to the ends of the earth.

---

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 144(145):1-2,8-11,13b-14

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Second reading                                                                                                     Romans 8:9,11-13

Your interests are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit of God has made his home in you. In fact, unless you possessed the Spirit of Christ you would not belong to him, and if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.
  So then, my brothers, there is no necessity for us to obey our unspiritual selves or to live unspiritual lives. If you do live in that way, you are doomed to die; but if by the Spirit you put an end to the misdeeds of the body you will live.

Gospel Acclamation Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children. Alleluia!

---

Gospel	Matthew 11:25-30

Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
  ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

Reflection

by Nats Vibiesca

Minsan, nagpapabili sa akin ng fidget spinner ang anak kong nasa grade 12. ‘Di ba pambata lang ‘yun?, tanong ko sa kanya. Hindi raw, uso raw ‘yun, kahit nga mga teenager nagpapaikot nun at pang tanggal daw ‘yun ng stress. Tanong ko’y ba’t mo kailangan nun, stressed ka ba ngayon? Hindi naman daw, libangan lang daw, ang sabi niya. Sabi ko nama’y pauso lang ‘yan ng mga negosyanteng Intsik para madagdagan ang produktong binibili natin sa kanila.

Kailangan nga ba natin ng libangan para matanggal ang mga stress o problema sa buhay? Mahirap daw kasing magpatong-patong na sa dami ang mga stress sa buhay natin.  Kadalasa’y pati kalusugan apektado ng stress, dagdag problema pa nga naman kung magpapa-ospital.  Kaya nga kung anu-anong stress reliever ang nabibili na ngayon: may stress ball, stress tab, fidget spinner, comfort food, etsetera. Kahit na ang pag-iinternet ay ginagawang libangan natin ngayon, nakakatanggal nga raw kasi ng stress. Halimbawa’y ang social media, napapako tayo nang matagal sa Facebook dahil  kung nababagot sa buhay, napapagod sa mga gawain, o ang daming iniisip na problema’y nagsisilbing libangan ito.

Pero ang libangan ay panandalian lang naman. Kung tutuusi’y hindi naman talaga natatanggal ang stress o problema natin. Lalo na kung puro negative na ang nakikita sa Facebook.  Dati kasi’y masasaya ang nakikita sa Facebook, may reunion ng pamilya, kaibigan o barkada na matagal nang hindi nagkikita, nakakatawang mga moment, mga inspirational na post, at iba pa. Pero nagbago na ito ngayon dahil puro fake news na ang newsfeed, larawan o video ng mga nadisgrasya, nagsapakan, holdapan, pati nga pagpapakamatay ay naka-live stream na rin sa Facebook at milyung-milyong tao ang nanonood na para bang isang nakatutuwang palabas ito para malibang.

Patuloy nating hinahanap ang tamang libangan upang maibsan ang suliranin sa araw-araw. Pati nga ang pag-aalaga ng aso na may lahi ay nagiging pangtanggal stress din, pati pagkain sa mga eat-all-you can o drink-all-you-can pang-divert ng mga karanasang negatibo, kaydami ring mga travel and tours na ginagawang libangan kahit hindi pa naman panahon ng pagbabakasyon o minsa’y ipinapangutang pa nga kaya’t nagkakapatong-patong lalo ang problema imbes na masolusyonan. Hindi naman masama ang mga ito kung hindi inaabuso, nakakatulong din naman ito para maibsan nga ang masamang nararamdaman ng damdamin pero lagi na lang hindi sapat ang lahat ng ito. Hanggang saan umaabot ang lahat ng libangan natin para manatiling masaya at mapayapa ang kalooban ng ating buhay? Wala nga sa mga ito ang makapupuno ng ating pangangailangan. Kaya’t lagi tayong naghahanap at lagi ring napapagod sa buhay, karamihan ay nawawalan pa ng pag-asa, binabalot ng kalungkutan kahit lagi namang naglilibang, patuloy pa rin ang pagdadalamhati kahit natamo na ang mga pinapangarap noon, at ang iba’y halos tinatabangan na sa buhay.

Mula noong bata pa ay nakadama na tayo ng samu’t saring paghihirap sa buhay. Hanggang sa naging bagahe natin ang ilan sa mga ito at hindi nga matanggal sa ating katauhan. Bukod dito’y patuloy pang dumadami ang mga alalahanin ng ating buhay. Matatanggal nga ba natin ito ng sarili lamang nating lakas? Talino? Kakayahan?

Hindi. Ang grasya ng Diyos lamang ang makakapawi ng lahat ng paghihirap natin. Saan natin mahahanap ang tunay na kaligayahan, kapayapaan at kapahingahan? Sa kapangyarihan ba? Sa kayamanan? Sa atin boss? Sa taong iniidolo ba natin? Sa mga anak o asawa ba natin?

Tanging kay Jesus lamang ang ganap  kapahingahan. Tanging kay Jesus lamang ang ganap na kaligayahan. Tanging kay Jesus lamang ang ganap na kapayapaan.

Prayer

Panginoon Jesus, akayin Mo kami sa Iyong kanlungan at yakapin Mo kami ng Iyong kapayaan para sa ikagiginhawa ng aming kaluluwa't katawan. Amen.

" GAP "

“ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. “

 First Reading: 2 Chronicles 36:14-17, 19-23

Likewise all the princes of Judah, the priests and the people added infidelity to infidelity, practicing all the abominations of the nations and polluting the LORD'S temple which he had consecrated in Jerusalem. Early and often did the LORD, the God of their fathers, send his messengers to them, for he had compassion on his people and his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised his warnings, and scoffed at his prophets, until the anger of the LORD against his people was so inflamed that there was no remedy.

Then he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who slew their young men in their own sanctuary building, sparing neither young man nor maiden, neither the aged nor the decrepit; he delivered all of them over into his grip. They burnt the house of God, tore down the walls of Jerusalem, set all its palaces afire, and destroyed all its precious objects. Those who escaped the sword he carried captive to Babylon, where they became his and his sons' servants until the kingdom of the Persians came to power.

All this was to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah: "Until the land has retrieved its lost sabbaths, during all the time it lies waste it shall have rest while seventy years are fulfilled." In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom, both by word of mouth and in writing: "Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia: 'All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me, and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever, therefore, among you belongs to any part of his people, let him go up, and may his God be with him!'"

Resp. Psalm: Psalms 137:1-2, 3-4-5-6

Second Reading: Ephisians 2:4-10

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved), raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast. For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.

Gospel: John 3:14-21

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." For God so loved the world that he gave  his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already be condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

Reflection:

By Grace Madriñan

Since my father’s death last December, I became insecure, physically and emotionally drained. I developed certain fears which I didn’t realize before. Fears which are all associated to losing the “man in the house”. Because of this, I jumped to the next opportunity that could bring me happiness, something or someone that could take away those fears. And the moment I felt that certain joy, I hold on to it with  dear life, hoping it would last a lifetime.

But God intervened before I drown to my self-made happiness. He gave me opportunities to see what I am so blinded to recognize. Then on one faithful morning, drenched in prayer, His message came to me loud and clear. First, He said that despite my urgent need to fulfill my happiness, He would still want me to do the right thing and not to be swayed by the dictates of society. Second, He said that He wills my happiness, but He wanted something that would last forever, not the transitory kind. Third and the best of all, He said that He loves me and that there is nothing He would not give to me. He asked me to “remain in His love”, “hold on” and “await His perfect time”.

The Words from today’s Gospel, clearly confirms it all: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life (John 3:16)” If God gave His only Son then, what would He not give?  There may be a gap in our hearts today, we may try everything to fill those gaps, but nothing can fill it except the kind of love that only God can give.  We may be thrown down in the pit of sorrows, but we can be assured that our Father who loves us will pull us through. Just as Jesus has died and resurrected from the cross, so shall God will redeem us from our afflictions.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for giving us Your Son,  Who is a clear reminder for us that there is nothing You would not give for the sake of Your people. May we remain in Your love as we await Your perfect plan for us. Amen.