The World's Logic

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

30 August 2026

 

First Reading: Jeremiah 20:7-9

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9

Second Reading: Romans 12:1-2

Gospel: Matthew 16:21-27

 

Reflection

By: Bernard Borja

 

In last week’s Gospel, Jesus named Simon as Peter, the rock in which the Church will be built. In the Gospel today, Peter immediately commits a deeply human mistake: he tries to write God’s plan using worldly logic. When Jesus foretells his own suffering and death, Peter rebukes him, triggering Christ’s piercing response: "You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." This kind of thinking – the tension between divine wisdom and self-reliant human rationality – sits at the heart of our most evident moral failures, both personal and societal. But as soon as Peter made a mistake of “thinking as human beings do”, Jesus immediately takes him back on how to discern God’s will, even before the Church is built.

We are often tempted to conform to the reasoning of what the world does, which is a mindset that St. Paul warns against in his letter to the Romans. The world’s logic is often practical. It prioritizes survival, comfort, and the preservation of power. When we fail to truly discern God's will, we easily fall into the trap of self-reliance, convincing ourselves that our personal ambitions or political loyalties are somehow aligned with divine favor simply because they are effective or popular.

This dangerous mindset is more visible in the current socio-political view of the world, especially in the Philippines. Over the years, the nation has witnessed a disturbing normalization of violence, where government officials promoted thousands of extrajudicial killings under the banner of public safety. The tragedy is not just the massive loss of life, but the moral reversal that comes with it. Many people blindly supported these brutal campaigns, persuaded by a twisted logic that sacrificing the marginalized, the poor, and the voiceless was a necessary trade-off, thinking that this is something "good for most people". This is the exact human thinking Jesus rebuked: the belief that a necessary end justifies a ruthless, bloodstained means.

The moral conflict becomes louder when those in power weaponize religion to shield themselves from accountability. We see leaders and their enablers facing severe domestic and international investigation, including those investigated by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, yet they shamelessly quote scripture, post themselves in social media attending mass or church services, and declare that God is with them. They use faith as a dramatic prop to maintain their grip on power and evade justice. It becomes a “poser” faith that demands divine blessing while strongly rejecting the cross of accountability and truth.

The experience of the prophet Jeremiah can be compared with this. In the first reading, Jeremiah cries out that speaking God’s truth has brought him "derision and reproach all the day." True prophets and genuine disciples do not inflict violence to maintain authority. They endure hardships to uphold the truth. They do not twist God’s word to justify the shedding of blood. They allow their hearts to be broken by the injustices of the world.

Jesus now asks us a question that breaks the mindset of self-reliance: "What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" When people blindly follow leaders who evade justice, and when officials use God’s name to sanction cruelty, they are forfeiting the soul of a nation. Genuine faith requires a radical renewal of the mind. It demands the courage to see through the propaganda and true intent of the powerful, to reject a false peace built on violence, and to take up the difficult cross of demanding justice, accountability, and the inherent dignity of every human life.

Prayer

Lord God, we come before You as we recognize how often we rely on our own flawed human logic rather than trusting in Your divine wisdom. Grant us the grace to renew our minds, that we may not choose comfort over truth and justice. We lift up our nation to You as we pray for healing and accountability. As we also remember the Passion of St. John the Baptist, inspire us with his courage to speak the truth to earthly authorities, even when it demands ultimate personal sacrifice. May we always choose to take up our cross to defend the dignity of every human life. We pray for guidance to live as faithful disciples who seek justice and mercy above all else. In Jesus Name, AMEN.  

A Generous Heart

    

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

10 November 2024

 

First Reading: 1 Kgs 17:10-16

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

Second Reading: Heb 9:24-28

Gospel: Mk 12:38-44 or 12:41-44

 

Reflection

By: Benj Santiago

 

"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more

than all the other contributors to the treasury.

For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,

but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,

her whole livelihood."

This Bible passage has so many interesting details. First, the widow is definitely struggling in her finances as she was labelled "poor". Secondly, she has given two copper coins which is practically just a small amount, but it is probably all that she had.

I am challenged to give all what I have and rely on God's provision. We are all reminded that it is not the amount we give as an offering that matters, but the spirit by which we give it. If we give joyfully, the Lord will surely bless us and return more than a hundredfold what we offered.

Prayer

Dear God, we praise You and we thank You for all the abundant blessings we have received. May You grant us a generous heart like this poor widow to give all we had with joy in our hearts. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

    

Solemnity of All Saints

01 November 2024

 

First Reading: Rv 7:2-4, 9-14

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

Second Reading: 1 Jn 3:1-3

Gospel: Mt 5:1-12a

 

Reflection

By: Benj Santiago

 

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

As we celebrate All Saints' Day, the Beatitudes' first line reminds us how to live our life in HUMILITY and DEPENDENCE on God.

Being poor in spirit is not necessarily a call to material poverty. Jesus is calling us to deeper poverty of the heart to recognize that everything good comes from God! St. Francis and St. Ignatius were from wealthy families. St. Stephen of Hungary was a King! They were poor in Spirit in spite of their wealth and power for they have shared what they possess and remained totally dependent on God.

Today, I, you, all of us are reminded to have full dependence on God. The first step is to recognize our sinfulness, weakness, and faults. We need to humble ourselves to God and ask for His mercy and forgiveness through the Sacrament of Confession.

Secondly, we need to practice humility and gratitude. Serve our family and community with humility. Lead with humility. Be thankful for all the blessings we receive.

Finally, we must acknowledge that all our posessions, position, titles, and power are not ours to own. Give to those in need. Share your blessings to family, friends, and community. Practice Tithing.

We are called to be "poor in spirit."

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You for all Your blessings. We acknowledge that all we possess, and that we have is a blessing from You. We humbly pray and beg You to continually bless us so that we can bless more people like the Saints before us. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen.

Christ the King

The Solemnity of  Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

21 November 2021 

 

First Reading: DN 7:13-14

Responsorial Psalm: PS 93:1, 1-2, 5

Second Reading: REV 1:5-8

Gospel: JN 18:33b-37

 

Reflection

By: Pietro S. Albano

 

Arise!

"Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

The church holds an annual Global Celebration of Youth People (also known as World Youth Day) during the Solemnity of Christ the King. This year, the theme is Stand up. I appoint you as a witness of what you have seen (cf Acts 26:16). In today's Gospel, Pilate asked Jesus if He was king. While the Roman governor would think of an earthly king who commands armies, oppresses the weak, and has enormous wealth, our Lord presents Himself as king of a heavenly kingdom, a kingdom that stands and fights for the truth. That is why He said, "My kingdom does not belong to this world." Today's Gospel as well as World Youth Day's theme have something in common: both call the young people to be a witness of Jesus, the King who came not to be served, but to serve. In His message to celebrate this occasion, Pope Francis made this appeal to the youth:

"In Jesus' Name I ask you: Arise! Testify that you too were blind and encountered the light. You too have seen God's goodness and beauty in yourself, in others, and in the communion of the Church, where all loneliness is overcome."

"Arise! Testify to the love and respect it is possible to instill in human relationships, in the lives of our families, in the dialogue between parents and children, between the young and the elderly."

"Arise! Uphold social justice, truth, and integrity, human rights. Protect the persecuted, the poor and the vulnerable, those who have no voice in society, immigrants."

"Arise! Testify to the new way of looking at things that enables you to view creation with eyes brimming with wonder, that makes you see the earth as our common home, and gives you the courage to promote an integral ecology."

"Arise! Testify the lives of failure can be rebuilt, that persons spiritually dead can rise anew, that those in bondage can once more be free, that hearts overwhelmed by sorrow can rediscover hope."

"Arise! Testify joyfully that Christ is alive! Spread His message of love and salvation among your contemporaries, at school and in the university, at work, in the digital world, everywhere."

• How can you be a witness to Jesus today?
• How can you inspire young people to stand up for Jesus?
• How does the youth inspire you to listen attentively to Jesus?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your word today. We entrust to You all young people all over the world. Transform the hearts that they may stand up and be counted among Your witnesses in the world that longs to be freed by the truth that comes from You. Amen.

 

A Sacrament of Christ

Thirty-third Sunday in

Ordinary Time

14 November 2021 

 

First Reading: DN 12:1-3

Responsorial Psalm: PS 16:5, 8. 9-10, 11

Second Reading: HEB 10:11-14, 18

Gospel: MK 13:24-32

 

Reflection

By Pietro S. Albano

 

Know that he is near.

Jesus spoke to His disciples about His second coming. There is a sense of fear that one would feel as Jesus mentioned the destruction of the sun, moon, and stars. After this scene, Jesus will come in glory and will send His angels to gather those who remained faithful to Him until the end. 

In his message on the Fifth World Day of the Poor, which we celebrate today, Pope Francis wrote:  “The face of God revealed by Jesus is that of a Father concerned for and close to the poor. In everything, Jesus teaches that poverty is not the result of fate, but a concrete sign pointing to His presence among us. We do not find Him when and where we want, but see Him in the lives of the poor, in their sufferings and needs, in the often inhuman conditions in which they are forced to live….[B]elievers, when they want to see Jesus in person and touch him with their hands, know where to turn. The poor are a sacrament of Christ; they represent his person and point to him.” We do not know the day or hour of Jesus’ Second Coming. However, we can prepare for it by reaching out to His least brothers and sisters, the poor in our midst. The Holy Father warns us: “Today, in fact, in the more economically developed areas of the world, people are less willing than in the past to confront poverty. The state of relative affluence to which we have become accustomed makes it more difficult to accept sacrifices and deprivation. People are ready to do anything rather than to be  deprived of the fruits of easy gain. As a result, they fall into forms of resentment, spasmodic nervousness and demands that lead to fear, anxiety and, in some cases, violence.  This is no way to build our future; those attitudes are themselves forms of poverty which we cannot disregard. We need to be open to reading the signs of the times that ask us to find new ways of being evangelizers in the contemporary world. Immediate assistance in responding to the needs of the poor must not prevent us from showing foresight in implementing new signs of Christian love and charity as a response to the new forms of poverty experienced by humanity today.”

• What new signs of Christian love and charity must the Church implement to address poverty?
• How can the poor help you get ready for the Lord’s Coming?

• What is the difference between almsgiving and mutual sharing?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word today. Help us realize that we too are poor because only in this way will we truly be able to recognize them, to make them part of our lives and an instrument of our salvation. Amen.

 

The King is Among Us

Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe   26 November 2017

First reading

Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17

Thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will fed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice. As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats:

                

Second reading

1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28

Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things under him, that God may be everything to every one.

Gospel

Matthew 25:31-46

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’

Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’

Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Reflection

by Art B. Reyes

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ, the King of the universe. In today’s Gospel, it is told that the Son of Man will come at the end of time. The final judgment will come upon us, where the good will be rewarded and the bad will be punished. Our true identity will be exposed, stripped of our worldly possessions and obsessions.

The final judgment will be based on what we did or did not do for the Lord, and on the other hand is also based on what we did or did not do for the least of our brothers and sisters.  Let us pray that the Lord grant us wisdom to feel His presence in everyone, be rich or poor, powerful or weak. May the final judgment give us hope and not fear. May we rely not on our self understanding but on God’s mercy.

A king, as we know, is someone who is rich, lavish, and luxurious. But here is Jesus, the King of kings, who associates Himself with the leper, the sick, the lowest of the low, and the outcast. Here is the king who died in a violent death, like a criminal. And here is the king who taught us about taking care of homeless, unfortunate, thirsty, and hungry.

Jesus is King, but not the kind of king we might have imagined or expected. His kingship is hidden to some of us, but those who have faith are able to see and recognize Jesus as King. Why would a king choose to live in the hearts and souls of the poor, oppressed, and those who cry out in suffering? Because Jesus identifies Himself in them. Because He stands by their side. Our King is among the poor and the suffering.

Today's Gospel invites us to make our own judgment. May we, with eyes of faith, recognize that Jesus, the crucified One, is indeed the King and Savior of all.

Prayer

O Lord Jesus Christ the King, reign supremely in my heart and in my life. Help us see and recognize You in the poorest among us. Help us to be Your voice speaking out love and acceptance. Help us to be Your feet walking beside those in need, to be Your ears to listen to their cries. Help us to be Your hands to clothe, feed and shelter them.

And when our time comes, may we welcome You not with fear, but with hope. Amen.

Loving the Last, Least and Lost

Ascension of the Lord
17 May 2015

First reading
Acts 1:1-11 ©

In my earlier work, Theophilus, I dealt with everything Jesus had done and taught from the beginning until the day he gave his instructions to the apostles he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. He had shown himself alive to them after his Passion by many demonstrations: for forty days he had continued to appear to them and tell them about the kingdom of God. When he had been at table with them, he had told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised. ‘It is’ he had said ‘what you have heard me speak about: John baptised with water but you, not many days from now, will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’
  Now having met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.’
  As he said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight. They were still staring into the sky when suddenly two men in white were standing near them and they said, ‘Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking into the sky? Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, this same Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go there.’

---

Psalm
Psalm 46:2-3,6-9 ©

God goes up with shouts of joy the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

---

Second reading	Ephesians 4:1-13 ©

I, the prisoner in the Lord, implore you to lead a life worthy of your vocation. Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. There is one Body, one Spirit, just as you were all called into one and the same hope when you were called. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of all, over all, through all and within all.
  Each one of us, however, has been given his own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it. To some, his gift was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; so that the saints together make a unity in the work of service, building up the body of Christ. In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself.

---

Gospel Acclamation	Mt28:19,20

Alleluia, alleluia!

Go, make disciples of all the nations.
I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel	Mark 16:15-20 ©

Jesus showed himself to the Eleven, and said to them: ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.’
  And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.

Reflection     
By Theresa Ballo  

In today’s Gospel, Jesus personally gave His last will to the disciples. He commissioned them to walk in His
footsteps and proclaim the gospel. This commissioning comes with a challenge of dealing with persecution, 
seclusion and a lot of judgment. However, despite all of these, Jesus promised great things in God’s glory. They 
will be able to speak in different languages and cast out demons.

Jesus started by saying “go”. This simple word is an indication that we have to remove the mentality that the lost 
will come to us and we can just stay from our comfort zone waiting for them to seek our help and healing.  And 
then that is the time we get to introduce Jesus to them. This is an invitation to let go of our “superhero mentality” 
and the attitude of being so self-righteous. Psychology is one with the Church in saying that the last, least and 
lost should have to feel loved first. Further, this means that we must be IN the world to influence those who are 
OF the world. There is no way to have a “hands off” approach in reaching out to lost souls. We must get to know 
people, make personal contacts and build relationship so they can be open to receive Jesus through our reflection 
as images of Jesus on earth.

It is in this Year of the Poor that we can be a living witness of today’s gospel. Literally being poor mean being 
physically and mentally handicapped, sick, crippled, old, ugly or illiterate. Those who always feel alone, 
abandoned or rejected are also poor. Even those who find themselves indifferent and hostile are also poor. Being 
poor may mean wanting to cry when everyone around is happy, being defenseless against attacks and being 
innocent victims of crimes and injustices. The more the society becomes even more digital, the greater the need 
to have personal connections.

Let me share you a real-life inspiring story of a man who sees himself as a woman since he was a child. We were 
both 16 when we met. I was a newbie at Catholic Youth Organization in St. Joseph Gagalangin Parish and he 
was a seasoned member. Lenard is bubbly and loud yet a humble servant. I can not help laughing each time he 
makes candid antics and innocent mispronunciation of English words. He takes every correction lightly. He sings 
from the heart and with all effort, like a diva. It does not matter with him whether he would sweep the floor, clean 
up a messy table or put newspaper on the wall during major group activities. He is honest and full of big dreams. 
Just like any other teenager, he falls in love too, yet he  knows his limitations. He never pushes himself on anyone 
and yet everyone gets attracted to his personality. He called himself poor though he is very promising. He never 
gets tired sharing his dreams and providing a better lifestyle for his family. Then they had to transfer residence 
due to his father’s work. I was 24 when I met him again in another CYO activity. A beautiful change happened in 
his life. He is now a professional stylist in a posh salon. After they transferred residence, his parents could not 
afford to send him to college so he decided to work as a sweeper in a salon. He did it for a couple of years until 
he started learning how to use the  scissors. Then he saved part of his salary so he can enrol in a short course 
about hairstyling and the rest is history. Lenard fought the tide of poverty and society’s stereotyping. He may have 
the softness usual for a woman yet with his humility and disposition in life, he is a better than some men I know. 
In his subtle way, he keeps paying the grace and blessing forward.

There could be times wherein, we as God’s followers, might think that things around us are not happening as 
expected but eventually realizations happen. Sometimes we need to go rock-bottom in order to rise above. We 
suffer in order to progress. We are challenged in order to develop our skills. We are tested to make our beliefs 
even stronger. Lastly, we are discouraged so we can be faithful even more.

We have a great God and we can manifest His greatness by being great! God equipped us with all the necessary 
skills needed to serve Him. It is still a matter of willingness and obedience to His will that separates us from 
realizing all our potentials. There are no excuses. Go out… rise up… and let us all accept our responsibility!

Prayer

Jesus, you are ever present with our Father. We thank you for entrusting us a mission.  May we seek to speak 
Your word and Your healing presence to our sphere of influence, to our family and friends and most especially, to 
our brothers and sisters who feel least, last and lost at this moment. Amen.

Trumpets

First Reading: Joel 2:12-18

Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment. Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing, Offerings and libations for the LORD, your God.

Blow the trumpet in Zion! proclaim a fast, call an assembly; Gather the people, notify the congregation; Assemble the elders, gather the children and the infants at the breast; Let the bridegroom quit his room and the bride her chamber. Between the porch and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep, And say, “Spare, O LORD, your people, and make not your heritage a reproach, with the nations ruling over them! Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land and took pity on his people.

Responsorial Psalm Psalms 51:3-4, 5-6AB, 12-13, 14 and 17

Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20—6:2

Brothers and sisters:

We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

For he says: In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.

Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others.

Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret.

And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, annoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

Reflection
By Grace B. Madriñan

I have not known Kuya Jay personally (not his real name),   I did not even had a chance to have conversations with him.  I just knew him as the husband of Ate Rose, our choir coordinator. From the stories I heard, he has been famous for being kind and generous to his employees.  He is fond of cock derby, and whenever he wins, he would give away all his winnings.

But when he passed away last December, I learned that his generosity and compassion were way beyond than I can ever imagine. He is loved by almost the whole community that the church and the roads were not able to contain all the people who came to mourn.  Onlookers thought it was a government official or someone of high stature passed away due to the volume of people who attended the interment services.  

His wife shared during the eulogy that a lot of people came up to her telling her how her husband have helped them in their times of need, most of them she never knew. Kuya Jay was told to have given scholarships to kids from poor families he came to know who were either referred to him or randomly known in the streets. It was only when he passed away that she realized why her husband started openly to her about putting up a foundation to provide scholarship for the poor so that he can reach to more deserving scholars.

I knew Kuya Jay and his family is well-off but he willingly submitted to the service of the poor. He could have turned a blind eye and walked away from all the pleadings, but he reached out even more.  And he did all of these without trumpet-sounding announcements unlike most people we knew.

This is clearly what Jesus told in today’s Gospel, “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others …”  Kuya Jay did just that, he performed righteous deeds discreetly.  But I bet his arrival in heaven would not be as discreet, as angels may have sounded the trumpet upon his entry.

Prayer

Father, watch over us that we may not boast of our service to our neighbor. Grant us a generous heart that is satisfied in knowing that our recompense is in You.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.  

Eternal Consolation

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
26 September 2010


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

First reading Amos 6:1,4-7
The almighty Lord says this:
Woe to those ensconced so snugly in Zion
and to those who feel so safe on the mountain of Samaria,
those famous men of this first of nations
to whom the House of Israel goes as client.
Lying on ivory beds
and sprawling on their divans,
they dine on lambs from the flock,
and stall-fattened veal;
they bawl to the sound of the harp,
they invent new instruments of music like David,
they drink wine by the bowlful,
and use the finest oil for anointing themselves,
but about the ruin of Joseph they do not care at all.
That is why they will be the first to be exiled;
the sprawlers’ revelry is over.

Psalm: Psalm 145:6-10

Second reading 1 Timothy 6:11-16
As a man dedicated to God, you must aim to be saintly and religious, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle. Fight the good fight of the faith and win for yourself the eternal life to which you were called when you made your profession and spoke up for the truth in front of many witnesses. Now, before God the source of all life and before Christ, who spoke up as a witness for the truth in front of Pontius Pilate, I put to you the duty of doing all that you have been told, with no faults or failures, until the Appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who at the due time will be revealed
by God, the blessed and only Ruler of all,
the King of kings and the Lord of lords,
who alone is immortal,
whose home is in inaccessible light,
whom no man has seen and no man is able to see:
to him be honour and everlasting power. Amen.

Gospel Luke 16:19-31
Jesus said to the Pharisees, ‘There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently every day. And at his gate there lay a poor man called Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to fill himself with the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even came and licked his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.
‘In his torment in Hades he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus in his bosom. So he cried out, “Father Abraham, pity me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.” “My son,” Abraham replied “remember that during your life good things came your way, just as bad things came the way of Lazarus. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony. But that is not all: between us and you a great gulf has been fixed, to stop anyone, if he wanted to, crossing from our side to yours, and to stop any crossing from your side to ours.”
‘The rich man replied, “Father, I beg you then to send Lazarus to my father’s house, since I have five brothers, to give them warning so that they do not come to this place of torment too.” “They have Moses and the prophets,” said Abraham “let them listen to them..” “Ah no, father Abraham,” said the rich man “but if someone comes to them from the dead, they will repent.” Then Abraham said to him, “If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead.”’

Reflection
By Pam Manzano

The poor are often condemned, neglected and looked-down at. They are always the last on a long list of those who are of importance. They are the ones who constantly receive injustice, victims of the worst stereotyping, and unjust outright judging.

Many people claim that they haven’t done anything wrong for the longest time but are guilty for not doing anything for the less fortunate. I can see a lot of people who always try to ignore the sickened call of the poor. Many believers are expecting to be rewarded with happiness and glory come the right time but have not showed other people the very requisites to our salvation: charity and justice.

As in the story of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man had plenty and Lazarus was devoid of anything, all he wanted was just to eat the small pieces of food that fell off the rich man’s table. When they died, Lazarus was carried by the angels to the arms of Abraham while the rich man was brought into the place of the dead where he suffered so much pain. Here, Jesus tells us that the time will come wherein the uncompassionate rich will die and be deprived of happiness and glory; a punishment for their oppression to the lower classes and for all the injustices they have committed. While the steadfast poor will go to heaven to enjoy all the good things eternal life has to offer.

He who is generous receives more from God and he who is practicing injustice is condemning himself. God is calling us to stop being selfish people. The Gospel is reminding us that we need to practice charity and justice not just on those who are close to us but to every single soul that needs our help. It is time for us to make a reality check about our actions and our lives if we are obeying God’s commandment to love one another as we love ourselves. It is about time to start thinking about our life to come after we have served our purpose here on earth.

The choice is ours. Are we going to be like the rich man who indulged himself in all the worldly things and oppressed the poor and needy or be like Lazarus who faithfully and earnestly trusted God with all his being?

The poor will always be here on earth to give an opportunity to those who have more than them to show generosity and love. Are we in? Remember, a man’s life does not end after he dies on earth.

The good thing is even if we are guilty in one way or another for acting like the rich man in the Gospel, it is never too late for us to have a change of heart and begin a life that is overflowing with God’s charity and justice for all. After all our shortcomings, we still have a chance. Isn’t our God so great?

Heavenly Father, we ask for Your forgiveness. Help us live a life overflowing with love, charity and justice for other people. Teach us how to be humble and reach out to the people who need our help. Let Your light shine through and upon us, oh God, that we may be a blessing not just to several people but to the entire race. AMEN.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Next on God-speak
Do I Believe?

Satisfied

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
6 June 2010


Come, let us worship Christ, the bread of life.


First reading Genesis 14:18-20 3
Melchizedek king of Salem brought bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High. He pronounced this blessing:
‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, creator of heaven and earth,
and blessed be God Most High for handing over your enemies to you.’
And Abram gave him a tithe of everything.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 109:1-4

Second reading 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
This is what I received from the Lord, and in turn passed on to you: that on the same night that he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread, and thanked God for it and broke it, and he said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this as a memorial of me.’ In the same way he took the cup after supper, and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me.’ Until the Lord comes, therefore, every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are proclaiming his death.

Gospel Luke 9:11-17
Jesus made the crowds welcome and talked to them about the kingdom of God; and he cured those who were in need of healing.
It was late afternoon when the Twelve came to him and said, ‘Send the people away, and they can go to the villages and farms round about to find lodging and food; for we are in a lonely place here.’ He replied, ‘Give them something to eat yourselves.’ But they said, ‘We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we are to go ourselves and buy food for all these people’ For there were about five thousand men. But he said to his disciples, ‘Get them to sit down in parties of about fifty.’ They did so and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven, and said the blessing over them; then he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the crowd. They all ate as much as they wanted, and when the scraps remaining were collected they filled twelve baskets.

Reflection
By Rose Guevarra Markell

They all ate and were satisfied.

The multiplication of the loaves occurs in four Gospels, one of the true very few events in the Gospel. Many people had no security in terms of employment, as it is true today in many countries, and Jesus along with His followers shared that situation. In that desolate area, Jesus felt responsible for all His brothers and sisters who became His guest.

Many people must have shared their last resources with the poor, confident that God would pay them back. The miracle performed by Jesus at that moment confirms the faith of many humble believers, who are perhaps not too devoted to the church, but know how to risk all they have. Jesus did not feed them to attract them to His church, but to fulfill God's promises to the poor.

Oh my God, we believe, we trust, we adore and hope in You! And we ask pardon for those who do not believe trust, adore and hope in You! Please have mercy on our families and the whole world, Amen.

Next on God-speak
Looking With The Eyes Of Love