Inseparable Commandments

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

25 October 2020
First reading Exodus 22:20-26

The Lord said to Moses, “Tell the children of Israel this:

You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. You shall not abuse any widow or orphan.

If you do abuse them, when they cry out to me, I will surely heed their cry; my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children orphans.

If you lend money to my people, to the poor among you, you shall not deal with them as a creditor; you shall not exact interest from them.

If you take your neighbour’s cloak in pawn, you shall restore it before the sun goes down; for it may be your neighbour’s only clothing to use as cover; in what else shall that person sleep? And if your neighbour cries out to me, I will listen, for I am compassionate.”

Second reading                                                          1 Thessalonians 1:5-10

Our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead-Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.

Gospel                                                                          Matthew 22:34-40

When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”

He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Reflection

By Theresa Ballo

The Gospel today gives us two inseparable commandments. To love God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind. Secondly which is equally important, is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Thus, we cannot say that we love God but show hatred and harm to our neighbor. More so, we cannot show genuine love to others if we do not show respect and love to ourselves. The two greatest commandment is just two sentences but if we really look into ourselves the meaning and challenge of these two commandments, it is hard to sustain. One way or the other, we will fall short. Everything in this life is about love and relationships. God’s unconditional love to all of us. Our actions in response to that accepting and forgiving love. The kind of relationship we have is deeply connected to how we view and take regard of our ourselves. Isn’t it the challenge of the reading that each time we fail to love ourselves, we also hurt other people, stranger or significant people alike and we disappoint God, we are called to go back and remind ourselves that we are loved from the very beginning of our existence? Someone knows and sees how precious we are. Someone who gave up His son to save us, to save you. Still, God isn’t finish, He sent us the Holy Spirit so we will never be alone. If we do have faith, reading my previous paragraph, I suppose it will somehow make us feel better. What if the Pharisees of the modern times keep on pushing our limits until we fall into the trap and sulk the little faith we have? What does loving myself mean today? What does loving my neighbor mean today? I’m sure we all have our own unique answer in those questions. For me, loving myself especially in moments where people around me makes me feel otherwise means trusting that even I feel alone or abandoned by significant people, I still have God. A loving father who always takes care of me and who always stays. May this faith, no matter how little it is right now, purify me in the eyes of God. God wants to have a deep relationship with you today. He wants you to believe that He is the source of genuine love. He can also give it to you, if you ask it sincerely. He can heal your broken heart so you can be restored again. He will make you more loving and save you from your sins.

Prayer

 Dear Lord,

I know that the love produced by my broken heart is tainted and sinful but I love you. One day, I will be more capable of loving You the right way, loving myself a bit more so I can stop hurting significant people who care about me. Help me to love and be merciful to myself so I can be more loving and merciful to others. Help me to see myself as You see me. Fill me with you Holy Spirit so I can display Your love and not mine. Amen.

Can We Stop and Talk A While?

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time06 September 2020
First reading Ezekiel 33:7-9

Thus says the LORD:

You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel;

when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me.

If I tell the wicked, “O wicked one, you shall surely die, ”

and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way,

the wicked shall die for his guilt,

but I will hold you responsible for his death.

But if you warn the wicked,

trying to turn him from his way,

and he refuses to turn from his way,

he shall die for his guilt,

but you shall save yourself.

Second reading                                                          Romans 13:8-10

Brothers and sisters:

Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another;

for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery;

you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet, ”

and whatever other commandment there may be,

are summed up in this saying, namely,

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Love does no evil to the neighbor;

hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.

Gospel                                                                          Matthew 18:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples:

“If your brother sins against you,

go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. 

If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.

If he does not listen,

take one or two others along with you,

so that ‘every fact may be established

on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. 

If he refuses to listen even to the church,

then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.

Amen, I say to you,

whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,

and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Again, amen, I say to you,

if two of you agree on earth

about anything for which they are to pray,

it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. 

For where two or three are gathered together in my name,

there am I in the midst of them.”

Reflection

By Ma. Rosalina S. Flores

Remember your petty quarrels with your siblings over a toy or candy? When your brother did not want to share his stuff, you called out to your mother for her to mediate. If it still didn’t work out, both you and your mom raised the issue to your dad. And your loving disciplinarian father shall not only settle things right but will also give you and your brother some bread to eat.  Thereafter, you will find yourself playing happily again with your sibling just like nothing happened.

The above scenario is the same correcting process that Jesus wants to teach us in today's Gospel, the importance of dialogue in order to have a peaceful community.

If a brother sins against you, talk to him in private, hoping that you settle it that way. If he does not listen, bring one or two people to serve as witnesses and mediators. If he still refuses to listen, tell the church for it has wisdom that may convince your brother to resolve the issue. And if he declines even the church, continue reaching out to him by including him in your prayer and asking God to soften his heart and lead him to the road to forgiveness. If we could only choose to discuss things over and settle our differences with love, then we will have unity and a peaceful society.

Unfortunately, this is not yet the case. As we progress with modernization, we become more allergic to dialogues. People do not want to convene. I remember a priest once said in his homily about the "throw away" culture which affects our relationships. We treat our brothers and sisters like a mere thing that can be dumped or be replaced right away when we do not like how they behave or if they disagree with our ideologies. Unfollow! Unfriend! Unsubscribe! How easy for us to take someone for granted? Is it really difficult to stop for a while and try to patch things up?

Prophet Ezekiel in the First Reading also reminds us today of our responsibility toward each other. While we exert efforts in our own redemption, we are also expected to help others be delivered from their wickedness. It was seconded by St. Paul in his letter to the Romans in the Second Reading saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law. Because we are God’s children, then, we should be responsible for each other. However, correcting our brother and sister must always be accompanied with love and tenderness.

Even though we are in a modern world, we are still bonded by the old but always relevant call of the Lord to love. As He looks forward to be with us in eternal life, let us also continue to hope in the goodness of humankind that can be discovered through dialogue.

Prayer

Almighty ever living God, teach us Your ways of loving one another. Spur us fruitful conversations that will open our eyes into the kindness of everyone and discard indifference. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

#Don’t Stop Bilibid

Second Sunday of Advent
08 December 2019

First reading                                                                  Isaiah 11:1-10
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

Second reading                                                    Romans 15:4-9

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God so that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name.”

Gospel                                                                     Matthew 3:1-12

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'”

Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Reflection

By Theresa Ballo

It’s common for people to judge the sins of others while excusing their own “minor flaws.”  At some point in our lives, we all do this. It’s a normal defense mechanism, wherein we improve our own self-esteem by magnifying the mistakes of others while at the same time minimizing and excusing our own. Sometimes we denounce “wordly” sins while excusing our own more “acceptable” sins of pride, selfishness or lack of love.

If we are doing this to people in our circle, what better judgment can we give to persons in conflict with the law? What would be your initial feeling when you will be surrounded by men who are sentenced to prison for twenty years and more? Would it be easier to condemn them because of the crimes they have committed? 

Last November 29, together with our Grade 9 students, we had a service interaction at the Medium Security Compound of the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa. A month before this day, two of my colleagues and I went there for the ocular inspection. Initially, I was curious and excited in this experience. I have experienced visiting city jails but the main national prison is a first. We interacted with the Education Unit so basically all the inmates we met are all students also. I never felt that my safety was compromised inside. I met polite, talented and God-fearing men. I listened to some of their stories and how their experience inside the prison made them realize the value of their parents, the importance of education and the mercy and compassion of God. Those students/men believe that only by the grace of God they will be free from guilt for the crimes they committed and endure the miserable situation of Philippine prison as they serve their sentence. 

Day after this service interaction is the recollection of our students. I facilitated one section for this whole day recollection. As we processed their experience in Bilibid, we also explore on their own sinfulness, bars, repentance and forgiveness. This was my second year of running this Christ Behind Bars module yet I could not help myself to shed a tear while the students are engaging a dialogue of expressing their own hurts, prejudices and offenses as well. Afterwards, comes healing and openness to forgive and acknowledge the presence of a loving Father that remains faithful to them.

As I lay myself to sleep that day, I think of my own sinfulness and surrender them to God and relentlessly ask Him for mercy and forgiveness. I pray for our society, that we become more accepting of individual differences and initiate restorative justice for people who are in conflict with the law. I recalled one of the hashtags given by a group of students, #DontStopBilibid (don’t stop, believe it) because they realized that their partner inmates are still hopeful of their future no matter how hazy it may appear now and with their renewed relationship with God, nothing is impossible. Indeed, Advent is a good time for each of us to examine our own conscience and ask ourselves, what troubles me? Which of my actions are hurtful, dishonest and demeaning to others? What can I do to restore my relationship with God and others?

Prayer

Lord, help me to take time to acknowledge my own sinfulness daily. Grant me humility of heart and help me to be an instrument of repentance for others.  May I always receive Your words in love and offer them in the form of love that is most effective.  Amen.

Focus on Jesus

First Sunday of Advent
01 December 2019

First reading                                                                  Isaiah 2:1-5
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it.
Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!

Second reading                                                    Romans 13:11-14

Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; let us live honourably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy.

Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Gospel                                                                     Matthew 24:37-44

Jesus said to his disciples, “For as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an least expected hour.”

Reflection

By Theresa Ballo

When I was a child, I would always look forward to Christmas season because of the tremendous joy the season brings. My mom will start to bring out all the Christmas decors and place most of the Christmas lights as façade of our house. She would usually invite me to go shopping for gifts and giveaways and placed it at the bottom of our Christmas tree. As an active member of a parish youth organization in Gagalangin back then, this is a happy season where we gather in the Church after school to practice for Advent songs, Christmas carols and presentations for our annual gift giving activity for street kids.

It was a routine I anticipate but last December was unique for our entire family. June of last year, with just a week notice, we were asked to vacate our house because we lost the demolition case filed by the so-called “landowners”. Seriously, that was the longest week I had in my entire life. That time we had to pack everything inside our house. Some things were given away to our neighbors. Some were sold. The rest was transferred to Bulacan, in my mother’s hometown. I was there to help ease my parents’ anxiety along with my brothers and some friends of the family working together to segregate things and put them inside the boxes. My parents were tight-lipped as the house they built, raised a family and lived for more than 40 years has taken down, brick by brick.

That house was the only house I lived in for 30 years. Here comes Advent season, the boxes with all the Christmas decors went along with other boxes of clothes that were sent to a charitable institution. We had nothing except for the house lights we have at our new simple house in Bulacan. I was not able to join and serve any Advent and Christmas liturgies at St. Joseph Parish. The neighbourhood, that community and that Parish were my comfort zones. Since both of my elder brothers have their own families already, I was left with my parents on Christmas eve last year. I can still recall that night, when I hugged and kissed my parents for Christmas, I knew they were trying their best to be happy but their eyes showed otherwise. I remembered telling them, “Focus on the child Jesus”.  Focus. Jesus. Focus.  

As I was telling it to them, I realized I was actually telling it aloud to myself. Inside my mind were doubts and fear of all the uncertainties. Focus. Jesus. Focus. Focus on the child Jesus. Once again, I get to realize that apart from the material and visible preparations we do this Advent season, our relationship with our loved ones matter even more. Jesus is not asking us to stay awake all night, but to live in the present, so we can recognize the movements of our Lord when he appears in our lives. He shows himself in the unrehearsed moments, the preoccupations and accidents that can throw us off balance. Our Gospel today is teaching us about salvation and the need to remain faithful. It serves to reinforce the necessity for us to re-evaluate our relationships with God and those around us. Will we put today’s reading into action and seek reconciliation with that person or with our God? When our relationships become our primary focus, especially our relationship with Jesus, we will never go wrong. He provided us with everything we need. Our family has a new simple beautiful house in Bulacan right now. This weekend, lights, candles and a tree will be put into place. But more importantly, our experience last year placed a very important lesson in each of the member of our family.

On the First Sunday of Advent, we light the first candle, traditionally a Candle of Hope to remind us to hopefully look for the coming of Jesus. This year as we all start Advent season, let us fill our thoughts with hope. Let us believe that whatever struggles you are facing right now, that too shall pass. Believe and focus on Jesus. 

Prayer

Teach me, Lord, to recognize Your face wherever I encounter You. Inspire me to live in the present and to see You in everything. Keep me to stay focused on You this season despite all the gatherings, distractions, and busyness that season brings. At the end of the day, remind me Lord, that my relationship with You is what truly matters. Amen.  

Three in One

Holy Trinity Sunday

16 June 2019

First reading                                                                        Proverbs 8:22-31
[Wisdom says of herself] “The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth, when he had not yet made earth and fields, or the world’s first bits of soil. When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master worker; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race.

Second reading                                                        Romans 5:1-5

Brothers and sisters, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Gospel                                                                     John 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

Reflection

By Ma. Rosalina S. Flores

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. We begin and end our prayer with the sign of the cross. I remember a priest testing me if I can do the sign of the cross properly as he began the baptism rite where I was a godmother. It was important for I will help in cultivating the faith of that little one being baptized. The sign of the cross may be simple as we think but it encapsulates the wholeness of the Catholic faith. It is in this gesture that we invoke the blessing of the Holy Trinity, the triune God that we believe in.

The first Sunday after Pentecost is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. In this celebration we recognize the presence of one God in three divine persons. While our understanding of the Trinity has advanced and deepened over the years, this dogma of our faith will always remain as the greatest mystery. We cannot completely grasp its connotation but we fully accept that this one God is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The distinction between the three doesn’t rest in their autonomy, but in the “relationship of each Person to the others” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 252). God exists in a relationship of love—a love that He invites us to share.

In the Old Testament, the image of God is perceived as good because of His wonderful creation and everlasting assistance to His chosen race. In the New Testament, our God is regarded as a compassionate Father for He gave His only beloved Son, Jesus Christ, as the Redeemer of sinners.  And right after the resurrection, out of Christ’s love for His apostles that He did not leave them alone, He breathed to them the Holy Spirit that will be their guide in proclaiming the faith. The love of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for each other unites them in becoming one God.

This Trinity Sunday, let us reflect on the relationship to which God has called us. How completely do we imitate the love of the Trinity in our relationships? Jesus left us with just two important commandments: “to love God and one another.” It is in loving each other that we will be united as one family and witnesses of God’s infinite and unconditional love. We may have different opinions, religions, and passions but we can definitely set those aside if we always choose to love. It is easier to subtract and divide but we are called to add and multiply; for God's favorite mathematical operation is multiplication.

As I end this reflection, let me share you a practical thought I learned from a priest about the sign of the cross. Pointing to forehead means God the Father gives us wisdom and understanding. Pointing to the stomach reminds us that Jesus the Son is the bread of life. Pointing to both shoulders tell us that the Holy Spirit hugs and joins us in our faith journey. And bringing hands together means we acknowledge the presence and implore the blessing of the Most Holy Trinity.

Prayer

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, help us to love others with Your example. Help us to not cause pain and hurt to others. Make us an instrument of Your unity today and always  Amen.

The World's Powerful Words

First Reading: Acts 4:8-12

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said:

“Leaders of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29

Second Reading: 1 John 3:1-2

Beloved:

See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Gospel: John 10:11-18

Jesus said:

“I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.

I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.This command I have received from my Father.”

Reflection
By Bernard M. Borja

There are so many powerful two to three word sentences that when used, can either move the world around, or stun it for a while. I have selected some of those to make us aware of it's sweet (or alarming) effect to ourselves.

1. Thank you

It is one of the most beautiful and sweet sounding sentences one can say, hear, or read. It is an expression of gratitude that puts a smile on one's face especially when said sincerely.

2. I love you

Probably the most sweetest, meaningful, and joy-filled sentence in the world especially when said with all your heart. The sentence has made the world stopped and then move around again like a roller coaster ride. It is more than giving the emotion to another but also to mean every little thing to the person. Life itself is a greatest manifestation of this powerful sentence.

3. I'm sorry

This is another way of saying "I love you" or "Forgive me" to ease the hurt one probably experienced because of love itself. It is also a modified phrase for "You win" or "I don't want to argue any more" or one of the most common behind these words, "Let's shut up and end this fight now." Maybe a conversation ender but one of the most beautiful things to say because after that, one can say "I love you" and believe in it once again.

4. OK

Two letters, one word. Whenever you exchange messages through text or chat, this is one of the most common conversation enders where one may feel that he/she has the responsibility to get the conversation on track again. It's like passing the ball to the person and wait for him/her to be frustrated in thinking about what to reply just so it would not be awkward to stop chatting and just end it. Or he/she can resort to the most famous ones, "hahaha", "hehehe", or just LOL (sometimes with a Z), with the emoticons or smileys.

This can also be a dead end when in the middle of the argument of a couple, the woman (probably the most common user of this and I don't mean to be judgmental) says this and keeps quiet. No choice for a man but to say the number 3 powerful sentence.

5. Try again

In life, there are no dead ends. In an argument, if a couple reaches a dead end, either party can try again and start another argument, which may also probably lead to another dead end, and then try again. But most of the time this is a great reminder to us to never give up in life. Especially when you're hit with "OK" after you explain a lot about your side of argument.

6. Let go

Sometimes you need to let go of good things for you to be open to receive the better ones. There are times in life when after getting up and trying again for so many times, we may realize it's time to let go. But this does not always mean permanent. Yes there are situations that this must lead to "Goodbye" but if there are still good things worth fighting for, this sentence may not be an option. Letting go would sometimes mean "I accept" and try to fix everything again.

7. I can/I can't

Very powerful words. If a person says "I can", he/she is right. And when a person says "I can't", he/she is also right. One example is, "I can let go because I've had enough" or "I can't let go because I still want to try again".

8. Move on

The next best thing after everything bad that has happened. Whether it would result to trying again and believing in love once more, or receiving a "Hu u?" (another powerful phrase) message after letting go, moving on is one of the most beautiful gifts we can give to ourselves.

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Of all those very short powerful sentences or phrases, I would like to emphasize on this:

"I am..."

Jesus relentlessly said, "I am the good shepherd." to reveal a glimpse of His mission here on earth which was commanded by Our Father. This phrase was also used by Our Father when He revealed Himself to Moses. I realized that these words are so powerful that it expresses conviction on who a person is and how he/she know himself/herself well. Jesus knows His mission very well and He is very much willing to lay down His life for the sheep.

This made me ask myself, "Do I really know what my mission is? Am I really willing to lay down my life for what God has commanded me to do?"

We often say powerful words and phrases in our life but when it comes to knowing our mission, we stutter. Maybe one of the reasons is we doubt our abilities. Maybe we connect our capacities to our past failures. But for us to know well ourselves and our mission, we need to let go of these past failures and move on. We must always say "I can" because through Christ, we are strengthened. Trying again is one of the best things that we can do for us to know better of ourselves. We should not settle for OK because like Jesus, we are sent here to lead a part of the flock. Whenever we fall, we can always get up and say to God that we are sorry. Because one of the reasons why we fall is we do not follow the lead of the Good Shepherd.

God sent us here on earth for a mission to help in gathering the flock for the Shepherd. It is His love that we received this command and it is the same love that guides us to fulfill it.

Prayer 

Father, Thank you for Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Good Shepherd, because He has laid down His life for us. Thank you for giving us a part to fulfill on this mission of the Good Shepherd. Through His lead and guidance, we will be able to know specifically our part in this mission and also ourselves to fulfill it according to the purpose You have given us. We are offering ourselves to You so that we may also lay down our life to gather the flock of the Good Shepherd. This we pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

Heart of the Matter

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Sept 7
First reading                                         Ezekiel 33:7-9

The word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows: ‘Son of man, I have appointed you as sentry to the House of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, warn them in my name. If I say to a wicked man: Wicked wretch, you are to die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked man to renounce his ways, then he shall die for his sin, but I will hold you responsible for his death. If, however, you do warn a wicked man to renounce his ways and repent, and he does not repent, then he shall die for his sin, but you yourself will have saved your life.’

Psalm                                                Psalm 94:1-2,6-9

Second reading                             Romans 13:8-10 

Avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love. If you love your fellow men you have 
carried out your obligations. All the commandments: You shall not commit adultery, you shall 
not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and so on, are summed up in this single 
command: You must love your neighbour as yourself. Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your 
neighbour; that is why it is the answer to every one of the commandments.
.

Gospel                                          Matthew 18:15-20

Jesus said, ‘If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between 

your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take 

one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain 

any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to 

listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.

‘I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever
you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.

‘I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there

with them.’

Reflection

By Theresa Ballo

Have you ever tried to correct a friend’s misbehaviors? Did he listen to you or accuse you of not being able to understand him? Did you somehow follow Jesus’ instructions to His disciples? If not, do you think the outcome would have been different?

To serve again in the parish has been a great challenge for me. The Catholic Youth Organization in St. Joseph de Gagalangin Parish welcomed and loved me when I was a problematic teenager. I was 16 then and just like any normal teenager out there, I was experiencing a lot of crises. Our elders listened and journeyed with me as I passed by every stage. After college, I left Gagalangin for an adventure. Three years after, I went back home, to my family and to the parish.

However, this time, I am a seasoned member and part of the “elders” and now sharing responsibility to a more challenging set of youth members. Youth, who are exposed to a great deal of societal pressures yet still chose to serve God and be with Jesus in the humblest way they can. Speaking from a third person viewpoint, I admire the youth of St. Joseph Parish, theirs are raw talents shared wholeheartedly in the Church. Being with them, I tell you is not smooth-sailing. It is a roller-coaster ride! I guess, in all relationships we have, conflicts are inevitable. We have to learn how each conflict should be handled with care -- which we can learn from today’s readings.

The Gospel talks about sin, relationship, conversation and restoration. It is about acknowledging sin yet choosing to love that person still. Not in human ways but in Jesus’ ways.

First step is to talk personally to the person. There is a secret ingredient to this. First, you have to be a person whom the offender trusts. It will just sound nosy and judgmental if you correct the act immediately. This is a quiet conversation, a humble one. It does not have to be announced to the whole group that you’re going to talk to this person. It is placing yourself in the other person’s shoe rather than being critical. This is not an interrogation or gossiping but an informal interaction of encouraging the best from each other.

Remember when Jesus called Martha’s attention when He visited her and Mary? How about the mistress and the prostitutes in the Bible? How did He handle Peter’s denial? Jesus consistently immersed himself to these people and gently pointed out their shortcomings, offered forgiveness and continued to have a relationship with them.

After doing this step and the person still doesn't see the wrong in what he/she is doing or doesn't see any need to stop the act, move up to the next step--call witnesses. After a private conversation, two or three persons are invited along. This is the tricky part now. If not handled with care, it may appear ganging up a person.

I’m sure Jesus having said this, didn't mean creating a forum to scourge people. After all, He already accepted crucifixion and who are we to humiliate and put someone in public scrutiny? When we bring in a witness, he/she has to be someone with more spiritual wisdom and experience, someone who can listen carefully to both sides.

If the conflict can’t still be resolved after doing the third step, the Gospel said to make the matter public before the Church. I strongly believe that the Church here refers to a community of believers. This is where the community seeks God’s help to intervene. The goal remains to restore and not to push people out of God’s mercy even when the reading says, treat them as tax collectors and pagans. How did Jesus treat Matthew and the other tax collectors in the bible? Isn't it that He called them to be His disciples and ate with them in their house?

The very essence of today’s Gospel is to untiringly believe in goodness. As Mother Teresa says, “Love until it hurts no more”. This is a call to recognize and eliminate sin and to love the sinner at the same time. The journey has to go hand in hand. You might be confused and asks, what about tough love? Tough love especially about parenting is to make the other person know your purpose. A father cannot say to his son, “Since you sinned, you’ll not be my son for a month or until you finally change your ways.” God’s love that manifests in the people we encounter everyday is one that listens and give chances. It is always noteworthy to remember that our purpose for correcting one’s mistake is to cut the sin not the relationship with the sinner, which remains to be the heart of the matter.

Prayer

Almighty Father,t hank You for always giving us a life of second chances. It may seem redundant already that we keep on sinning but still Your mercy teaches us what forgiveness means. In moments of great danger, You give us signals to slow down and stop. Give us the wisdom to share the right blend of being accountable to our neighbor’s wrongdoings. May the Holy Spirit fill our hearts so that our intentions would be pure and our ways would be gentle. Amen.