Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    

Ika-14 na Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

07 Hulyo 2024

 

Unang Pagbasa: Ezekiel 2, 2-5

Salmong Tugunan: Salmo 122, 1-2a. 2bkd. 3-4

Ikalawang Pagbasa: 2 Corinto 12, 7-10

Ebanghelyo: Marcos 6, 1-6

 

Pagninilay

Ni: Renato C. Vibiesca

 

Sa tuwing may kakaiba o bagong kinikilos ang kaibigan natin o kamag-anak, ang pagtataka natin ay nauuwi sa pagtatanong na: "Ano kayang nakain niya?" Hindi tayo makapaniwala agad sa pagbabagong anyo o kakaibang ugali niya dahil hindi maalis sa isip natin ang dati niyang pagkatao. Kaya’t nasasabi nating: "Iba ka na talaga!" Hindi na siya ang dating kilala natin o ang iba naman ay itatanong pa talaga kay Maricon (kay Mare, para ma-confirm) kung totoo talaga ang balita tungkol sa pagbabago niya. Kadalasan kasi’y ikinakahon ang tao sa kung ano ang pagkakakilala natin noon at tila wala nang pag-asang magbago pa ito sa kasalukuyan. Tulad ng pagtataka ng mga kapitbahay ni Hesus at ng iba pang tao mula sa sarili niyang bayan, hindi nila matanggap si Hesus bilang isa nang magaling na guro at maraming alagad na tagasunod. Nanatili sa kanila ang Hesus na simpleng karpintero at pagkakakilala na anak lamang siya ng mga simpleng tao.

Noong nasa elementarya at high school ako, may kaklase ako na kinatatakutan ko talaga. Siya kasi ‘yung itinuturing naming siga ng Tundo. Binu-bully niya kasi ang mga estudiyante noon. Kung may gusto siyang kunin sa amin ay kinukuha niya ito at hindi kami nakakapalag. Kaya’t lagi akong alerto sa paaralan upang iwasan siya. Iniisip ko noon na masamang impluwensiya siya kaya’t dapat iwasan. Ang hula ko ay hindi siya makakapagtapos ng pag-aaral at malululong sa masamang bisyo dahil sa mga barkada niya. Pagkaraan ng ilang dekada, nagulat ako nang mag-krus muli ang daan namin ng siga ng Tundo. Ang totoo, umiwas uli ako sa kanya, nagtago ako kung saan ay hindi niya ako makikita pero mapagmamasdan ko pa rin siya. Hindi ko alam kung na-trauma ba ako at hanggang ngayon ay iniiwasan pa rin siya, pero hindi ang takot sa kanya ang talagang dahilan ng pag-iwas ko. Naninibago kasi ako sa hitsura at kilos niya, kaya’t hindi ako makapaniwala sa nakikita ko. ‘Yung dati kasing siga at mukhang sanggano ay ang linis-linis na, mukhang kagalang-galang at kapitapitagan kung kumilos. Hindi na siya ‘yung dating siga ng Tundo. Natuklasan ko na isa na siyang pastor at napakahusay mangaral. Pero papaano nangyari iyon? Hindi ba’t puro bulakbol at pambu-bully ang ginagawa niya noong nag-aaral pa kami? Samantalang ako na nagbabait-baitan noon na sumali pa sa iba’t ibang relihiyosong organisasyon at pumasok pa sa seminaryo sa pangarap na maging pari ay hindi naman natupad. Pero tulad ni Hesus, ang siga ng Tundo ay hindi nagpatinag sa mga nagdududa at hindi naniniwala sa kanyang pagbabago dahil nagsumikap pa rin siyang mangaral sa maraming lugar sa Tundo. Ang hatid ng Ebanghelyo ngayon ay ang pagpupursigi na maglingkod sa kapwa sa kabila ng maraming balakid at hindi paniniwala ng mga tao mula sa sariling bayan.

Panalangin:

Panginoong Hesus, dalangin nami’y matimyas na pasasalamat sa pagkakaloob ng lakas ng loob at pagpupursigi na maglingkod sa aming kapwa kahit na maraming hindi sumasang-ayon sa kabutihang ito.  Patuloy naming pagsusumamo ang biyaya ng Espiritu Santo na pagningasing lagi ang aming kaloobang maihayag ang iyong Mabuting Balita. Amen.

Past is Past

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time 30 October 2016

First reading
Wisdom 11:22-12:2

In your sight, Lord, the whole world is like a grain of dust that tips the scales,
like a drop of morning dew falling on the ground.
Yet you are merciful to all, because you can do all things
and overlook men’s sins so that they can repent.
Yes, you love all that exists, you hold nothing of what you have made in abhorrence,
for had you hated anything, you would not have formed it.
And how, had you not willed it, could a thing persist,
how be conserved if not called forth by you?
You spare all things because all things are yours, Lord, lover of life,
you whose imperishable spirit is in all.
Little by little, therefore, you correct those who offend,
you admonish and remind them of how they have sinned,
so that they may abstain from evil and trust in you, Lord.

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

Second reading
2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2

We pray continually that our God will make you worthy of his call, and by his power fulfil all your desires for goodness and complete all that you have been doing through faith; because in this way the name of our Lord Jesus Christ will be glorified in you and you in him, by the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.   To turn now, brothers, to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we shall all be gathered round him: please do not get excited too soon or alarmed by any prediction or rumour or any letter claiming to come from us, implying that the Day of the Lord has already arrived.

 

Gospel	Luke 19:1-10

Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance: he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’

  Reflection
By Rosalinda N. Markell  

I love this Gospel of Luke, as it reminds me when I was young and had lots of different kinds of friends. I didn't mind who they were before or what they may be now.  My mother taught us never to judge anybody and look upon their past.  Whether they may be rich, poor, or a sinner, we should welcome and never to look down on them. Though we are all brought up in  different ways, we are all children of God.  If ever they are in the wrong direction or brought up in a wrong way,  maybe we can help them to change their way and go the right way to Christ.

Some of them are lost souls who need someone to love and understand them and lead them out of the "rut" they are in.

Look around us. It is so sad to see what is happening in our world now, most especially, if you listen to politicians. Some politicians would say anything and try to destroy each other by talking or spreading negative information of each other,  their previous sins and mistakes. Without looking at themselves first, they judge the past not considering that everyone can realize their past mistakes or sins and would want to change for the better.

This can also be true in some communities. A newcomer arrives and what do some 'old timers' do? They become hostile especially when they know the newcomer's background.

God does not look at us that way. Look at Zaccheus, a tax collector hated by his contemporaries. Touched by Jesus' compassion, he decided to repent. Like Zaccheus, as long as we are sorry for our sins, God will forgive us because He is a forgiving God. The Lord gives each and everyone more chances in life.  And we can do the same thing. We can give others a chance to recover from their past and be better.

Prayer

Dearest Lord, our Father, we confess that sometimes we are tempted to be proud, vain and so full of ourselves. That we look down on some of Your children, judging and avoiding them. We are sorry for this Lord.

Father, You have promised that if we confess our sins and get rid of our pride, You will forgive us and make us new again.  Please, Father, grant us that forgiveness now.  Please teach us that pride goes before a fall, so please keep us from the foolishness of pride.

Please teach us not to boast about our possessions, or talents, but instead humbly remember that they are all gifts from You. Please let us stop hurting others, by judging them or look down on them, but to try to love, understand and help them. Give us the strength Lord to guide and lead them back to You.

Truly we can already feel Your wonderful promise of help and forgiveness.  We can move forward with thoughts of reverence and thankfulness and most of all, love for you Father. In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Discern His Voice and Be Filled with Joy!

" If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts”

First Reading: Deut. 18:15-20

 "A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you from among your own kinsmen; to him you shall listen. This is exactly what you requested of the LORD, your God, at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said,

'Let us not again hear the voice of the LORD, our God, nor see this great fire any more, lest we die.' And the LORD said to me, 'This was well said. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kinsmen, and will put my words into his mouth; he shall tell them all that I command him. If any man will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it. But if a prophet presumes to speak in my name an oracle that I have not commanded him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, he shall die.'

Resp. Psalm: Psalms: 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9

Second Reading: 1^st Cor. 7:32-35

I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit. A married woman, on the other hand, is anxious about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. I am telling you this for your own benefit, not to impose a restraint upon you, but for the sake of propriety and adherence to the Lord without distraction.

Gospel: Mark 1:21-28

Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.  In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God! Jesus rebuked him and said, "Quiet! Come out of him! The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, "What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him. His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

Reflection by:

Fely Santiago

" If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts”

God speaks to us in so many ways. It could be through the person closest to us – our husband or wife, if we are married. It could be through our children, our parents, our brothers and sisters, relatives or could be through our friends, officemates, business partners and so on.

In one of the Feasts I attended, Bro. Bo Sanchez mentioned that God could be speaking to us through REALITY! What’s in front of us!! But the question is, do we see it? Or we refuse to see it because we expect something else?

Most often we get so blinded or covered by our biases, our assumptions, our judgments that we fail to listen and see what God wants for us or has in store for us!

There was a story of a man caught in the midst of a storm. The flood started to come and he prayed so hard to God “Lord save me”. Then he heard a government official announcing through their barangay for all people to leave their homes and evacuate as the water will continue to rise but the man did not listen. He continued to pray “Lord save me”. Then the water has risen and he was already at the 2^nd floor of his house when a rescuer in lifeboat called him to get off from his terrace and ride the rescue boat with him but he still did not listen. He just prayed “Lord save me”. The water continued to rise that he has to go up to the top of his roof. Then a helicopter hovered his house, the rescuer shouting that he catch and hold on to the rope to rescue him. But he did not listen. He continue to pray “Lord save me.” Until finally the man drowned and died. When He met the Lord, he questioned Him, “Lord why did You not save me?” The Lord answered, “I did!” I sent you the government official, the life boat and the helicopter! You did not listen!

Sometimes, we are like this man. The Lord already laid down the answers to our prayer in front of us but we are not able to recognize it because we expect something different! Learn to let go of our biases, prejudices, and judgments. Listen to God. Do not be stubborn. Let’s have faith that God will always give what is BEST for us!

 Prayer

Dear Lord, again let me have a child-like trust in You. To always be open to hear as You speak to me. Let me let go of all my prejudices, my biases, my wrong expectations. I know You always want the BEST for me! That’s all I need in Jesus’ name. Amen.