Ready When It Matters Most

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

10 August 2025

 

First Reading: Wisdom 18:6-9

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:1, 12, 18-19, 20-22

Second Reading: Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19

Gospel: Luke 12:32-48

 

Reflection By:

Bro. Carlo Alexis Malaluan

Diocese of Imus

 

While I was visiting a province, I remember visiting long time friend’s house unexpectedly one day. It was a surprise visit, and I hadn’t told her I was coming. Yet, the moment she opened the door, she welcomed me with a warm smile, a table quickly filled with food, and a heart ready to listen to my stories. It was as if she had been waiting all along, even if she didn’t know I was on my way. She was ready—not just with her hands, but with her heart.

Jesus, in today’s Gospel, speaks about that kind of readiness—not rooted in fear or pressure, but in love and joyful expectation. He begins with a tender word: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” It’s not a warning shouted from a distance, but an invitation whispered close to the heart. The tone is not of threat, but of promise.

And yet, what follows is also a call to be alert, prepared, watchful: “Gird your loins and light your lamps… be like servants waiting for their master to return.” Jesus paints the picture of a master who comes not to assert authority, but to serve—astonishingly, he will have the servants recline at table, and he will wait on them.

It’s a radical reversal. But it reveals something about God: that when He finds us ready, watching, faithful in our ordinary lives, He does not repay us with fear or duty, but with intimacy. He draws near. He serves. He lets us rest in Him

And so we are asked, not to panic about the unknown time of His return, but to live each day as though He were coming at any moment. Not with anxiety—but with love.

But what does being “ready” mean? It doesn’t mean doing something extraordinary every day. Readiness, in the eyes of the Gospel, looks a lot like faithfulness in the small things—keeping the lamp of kindness lit even when no one sees, staying true to our responsibilities when they feel unnoticed, choosing honesty when shortcuts are easier, praying even when God seems silent.

Jesus also warns: “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much.” And perhaps this is where it becomes personal. Because many of us carry responsibilities—over families, communities, roles of service, even just being a quiet witness of hope to those around us. We are all stewards of something: time, relationships, talents, opportunities. The question is not whether we have enough, but whether we are using what we’ve been given with love and integrity.

The call to be ready is not a call to paranoia. It’s a call to live awake—to pay attention, to be present, to serve well, to love deeply. Because when the Lord comes—whether in the great moment at the end of time, or in the small unexpected encounters of everyday life—He looks for hearts that are open, lamps that are burning, lives that have been quietly faithful.

So maybe today, we are being asked: Am I living like someone who knows the Master could knock any moment? Not with fear, but with joy. Not as someone trying to impress, but as someone waiting for a Friend.

Because in the end, that is what readiness means: to be found doing what we were created to do, even when no one is watching. To be like my grandmother—whose door, table, and heart were always ready, simply because love lived there.

Prayer

Pagtanggap

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

02 July 2017

First reading                                                                                               2 Kings 4:8-11,13-16

One day as Elisha was on his way to Shunem, a woman of rank who lived there pressed him to stay and eat there. After this he always broke his journey for a meal when he passed that way. She said to her husband, ‘Look, I am sure the man wno is constantly passing our way must be a holy man of God. Let us build him a small room on the roof, and put him a bed in it, and a table and chair and lamp; whenever he comes to us he can rest there.’ One day when he came, he retired to the upper room and lay down. He said to his servant Gehazi, ‘Call our Shunammitess. Tell her this: “Look, you have gone to all this trouble for us, what can we do for you? Is there anything you would like said for you to the king or to the commander of the army?”’ But she replied, ‘I live with my own people about me.’ ‘What can be done for her then?’ he asked. Gehazi answered, ‘Well, she has no son and her husband is old.’ Elisha said, ‘Call her.’ The servant called her and she stood at the door. This time next year,’ he said ‘you will hold a son in your arms.’

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Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 88(89):2-3,16-19

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Second reading                                                                                                      Romans 6:3-4,8-11

When we were baptised in Christ Jesus we were baptised in his death; in other words, when we were baptised we went into the tomb with him and joined him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glory, we too might live a new life.
  But we believe that having died with Christ we shall return to life with him: Christ, as we know, having been raised from the dead will never die again. Death has no power over him any more. When he died, he died, once for all, to sin, so his life now is life with God; and in that way, you too must consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus.

Gospel Acclamation Alleluia, alleluia! Open our heart, O Lord, to accept the words of your Son. Alleluia!

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Gospel	Matthew 10:37-42

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.
  ‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me.
  ‘Anyone who welcomes a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes a holy man will have a holy man’s reward.
  ‘If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.’

Reflection

by Nats Vibiesca

Kalilipat ko lang ng opisina. Inuna kong linisin at ayusin ang aking bagong kwarto. Bukod dito, sinigurado kong may nakahandang kape at biskwit para may maiaalok ako kung sakaling may bumisita.   Hindi ba’t lagi tayong naghahanda kahit papaano para sa bisita? Maging sa tahanan nati’y lagi’t laging nandoon ang kagustuhang mapasaya ang sinumang tatanggaping bisita. Kaya nga sinasabing ang pagiging hospitable ay ang isa sa pinakamagandang ugali natin. Eh, bakit nga ba napaka-hospitable nating mga Filipino? Parang natural lang sa ating pagkatao ang magiliw na pagtanggap sa kapwa.

Noong nagsasaliksik ako tungkol sa kultura ng mga taga-Cordillera, partikular sa Kalinga, napansin ko na kape rin ang unang iniaalok sa mga bisita. At kahit hirap magsalita ng Tagalog, pipilitin nilang makipag-usap para estimahin nang mabuti ang bisita. Kaya’t kadalasang Ingles ang gamit nila kung hindi marunong mag-Tagalog. Ang pinakamahuhusay na buto ng kape ang itinatabi nila at hindi ipinagbibili, ito’y upang magamit ng kanilang pamilya at ng mga bisita.

Nang nakapunta naman ako sa Palawan, walang humpay din ang pag-asikaso nila sa mga bisita. Papaano’y sa paliparan pa lang ay masayang sinalubong agad kami ng mga tumanggap sa amin. Dalawang taon na ang nakalipas nang maranasan ko ang kakaibang pagtanggap ng mga kapatid nating Muslim na mga taga-Marawi sa aming mga Kristiyano bilang bisita nila. Ang sabi ko nga sa FB post ko ilang araw pagkatapos pumutok ang kaguluhan sa Marawi: Higit sa tanawin, nagulat kami sa pambihirang pag-asikaso sa amin ng mga taga-Marawi, walang ibang akmang salita para sa kanila kundi mababait at masayahin habang buhos kung umistima ng bisita. Napawi ang bahid ng takot sa amin nang maramdaman namin ang sinsero’t tapat na pagtanggap nila sa amin  at payapa kaming nakisalamuha sa kanila. Ito marahil ang dahilan kung bakit napaka-hospitable natin: laging nararamdaman ang kapayapaan sa tuwing magiliw tayong tumatanggap ng bisita.

Ngunit kung hindi naman kapayapaan ang dala ng bisita, malamang na mahirap silang tanggapin at patuluyin sa ating tahanan. Hindi nga ba’t walang nakakapasok na Kastilang mananakop noon sa mga tribu sa Cordillera o maging sa pamayanan ng mga Moro sa Mindanao? Ang mga Amerikanong misyonero’t relihiyoso na ang tinanggap ng mga taga-tribu dahil ang dala nilang pananampalataya kay Jesus ay nagdudulot ng kapayapaan, at saka lamang sila nakapagpahayag ng ebanghelyo.

Ang pagtanggap kay Jesus ay hindi lang nangangahulugan ng pagtanggap ng mga biyayang masaya o mapayapang kalagayan, sapagka’t maging ang bagabag sa buhay, kalungkutan o mga suliranin ay bahagi rin ng pananampalataya. Kadalasan nga’y kaakibat ng pagtanggap kay Jesus ang mga pagsubok sa buhay na kalauna’y biyaya pa rin para pala na ating ikabubuti.

Kung matibay ang pananampalataya sa Diyos, umuusbong naman ang pag-asa na dulot rin ng pagtanggap. Kung tinatanggap natin si Jesus, niyayakap din natin ang pag-asa na Kanyang handog bilang bisita nga natin.  Kaya nga kung minsan kapag may mga estudiyante akong laging lumiliban sa klase dahil problemado sa pera, madalas na walang pamasahe o hindi makakain dahil walang baon, inuunawa ko na lang at tinatanggap pa rin sa klase upang mabigyang pag-asa.  Ang madalas kong sabihin sa kanila’y kung ako nga’y nakapagtiyaga kahit mahigit dalawang dekada bago naka-graduate sa kolehiyo dahil wala rin kaming pera noon, pero hindi ako nawalan ng pag-asa kaya’t duktor na ako ngayon, kayo pa kaya.

Kung anuman ang maitutulong ay kailangang gawin upang makintal sa kanila ang pag-asa. Kung tinanggap mo ‘yung tao, kailanga’y handa mo siyang tulungan hangga’t makakaya mo. Kung mayroon kang maitutulong o kahit pa nga walang-wala ka na, kung minsan inuuna mo pa ang pagtulong. Pag-ibig na nga ang tawag doon kung hindi ang sariling kapakanan ang inuuna bagkus, ang pangangailangan muna ng kapwa ang iniintindi. Tulad ng pagtanggap sa kanila at pagpapadama ng pagtulong, asahang ganoon din ang kanilang gagawin sa iba namang nangangailangan balang-araw. Hindi nga natatapos ang pag-ibig sa simpleng pagtanggap. Hindi ba’t kaysarap tanggapin ng mga nangangailangan ng tulong dahil laging paglaganap ng pag-ibig ang kahulugan nito?

Kung mabait, matuwid, matapat, at mapagmahal na disipulo ng Diyos ang ating bisita’y walang kaabog-abog na tatanggapin agad natin. Ngunit madalas na mahirap tanggapin ang iba’t ibang tao, palibhasa’y iba’t ibang ugali. Kayhirap tanggapin lalo na ‘yung mga masungit, ‘yung mga taong laging parang sinakluban ng mundo dahil may bagaheng dinadala, maging mga boss na lagi kang binubulyawan, ang mga nagwawalang drayber sa kalsada, ang mga balasubas na kapitbahay, mga adik na ka-baranggay, mga palaboy sa kalsada, kahit sa loob ng pamilya’y mayroon din itim na tupa. Sila ang nakakasalamuha natin sa araw-araw, mga taong kinapitan na ng samu’t saring taliptip sa bangka sa kanilang paglalakbay at bigat na bigat na nga sa pagpasan kaya’t halos ipasa na sa atin ang mga ito kung sila’y bumibisita. Ang mga taong may mabigat na suliranin o sinumang nangangailangan ng tulong, higit sa lahat ang mga lingkod ng Diyos, ang siyang mukha ng ating Panginoong Jesus. Sa madaling salita, kung minamahal natin ang kapwa nati’y minamahal nga nating tunay ang Panginoong Diyos.

Prayer

Panginoon, nawa’y ang pagtanggap namin sa Iyo ang magbigay daan sa pagtanggap namin sa aming kapwa nang may pagmamahal, pang-unawa, pagpapatawad, at pag-aaruga na walang sinisino, kaibigan man o kaaway, mabait man o makasalanan, mahirap man o mayaman para sa ikaluluwalhati ng Iyong Pangalan. Amen

Do The Supernatural

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
29 August 2010


We are God’s people, the sheep of his flock: come, let us worship him, alleluia.

First reading Ecclesiasticus 3:19-21,30-31
My son, be gentle in carrying out your business,
and you will be better loved than a lavish giver.
The greater you are, the more you should behave humbly,
and then you will find favour with the Lord;
for great though the power of the Lord is,
he accepts the homage of the humble.
There is no cure for the proud man’s malady,
since an evil growth has taken root in him.
The heart of a sensible man will reflect on parables,
an attentive ear is the sage’s dream.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 67:4-7,10-11

Second reading Hebrews 12:18-19,22-24
What you have come to is nothing known to the senses: not a blazing fire, or a gloom turning to total darkness, or a storm; or trumpeting thunder or the great voice speaking which made everyone that heard it beg that no more should be said to them. But what you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church in which everyone is a ‘first-born son’ and a citizen of heaven. You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge, and been placed with spirits of the saints who have been made perfect; and to Jesus, the mediator who brings a new covenant and a blood for purification which pleads more insistently than Abel’s.

Gospel Luke 14:1,7-14
On a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this, ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’
Then he said to his host, ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again.’

Reflection
By Anabelle Payod-Balla

Last October 2009, I was invited to participate in a one of a kind birthday celebration. The celebrant, Mrs. Fely Santiago has chosen to celebrate her 50th birthday in Tahanan ni Maria Home for the Aged in Carmona, Cavite, together with the Lolos (grandfathers) and Lolas (grandmothers) who now have no one from their respective families to take care of them. It was her “golden” birthday celebration, a very special milestone in her life, and yet she chose to spend it with the less fortunate so she can make them happy and feel loved. Instead of receiving gifts for herself, she was the one giving gifts to the elders, together with her invited friends and relatives. This act is one of those I consider out of ordinary.

The Gospel this Sunday is urging us to do the extraordinary. To be humble and hospitable is to do what comes out supernaturally. When we are wronged, we should not do what comes naturally which is to get even or fight back. Let us instead do what comes supernaturally which is to forgive and pray for those people who wronged us. When treating guests or neighbors, oftentimes, we give more attention and special treatment to the rich and important people. The supernatural thing to do is to give more importance to those who are poor, those who cannot pay us back, those who needed most help. It might be difficult at first but it gets easier with practice. And I assure you that the rewards are far greater than anything earth can offer because the guarantor of these people is none other than God the Father.

Serving the rich, the famous, and the important people may bring pride to us, but serving the poor and less fortunate will definitely bring more Glory to God.

Father, as Your children, we are capable of doing the extraordinary things that will give You more glory. Help us to make it a habit to serve You better by humbly serving those people who need most help. In Jesus' name with the Holy Spirit, we pray. Amen.

Humility seeks to glorify not ourselves, but God.

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