Restorer

    

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

30 June 2024

 

First Reading: Wis 1:13-15; 2:23-24

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13

Second Reading: 2 Cor 8:7, 9, 13-15

Gospel: Mk 5:21-43 or 5:21-24, 35b-43

 

Reflection

By: Pietro S. Albano

 

During the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in our parish church on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, there was a white cloth placed on the altar from the monstrance down to the steps of the sanctuary. Before bringing the Blessed Sacrament back into the tabernacle, the leader invited us to approach the altar and touch the cloth while gazing at the Blessed Sacrament. It was a powerful experience kneeling together with my family on the steps of the sanctuary. Touching the cloth “connected” us with our Eucharistic Lord. 

Such experience gave us a glimpse of what the woman in today’s Gospel experienced when she touched Jesus’ clothes. A healing experience! “If things created are so full of loveliness, how resplendent with beauty must be the One who made them”, St. Anthony of Padua once said. However, this state of loveliness became obscured “by the envy of the devil, death entered the world” (Ws 2:24). Sickness and death, then and now, show us the effect of sin. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom 6:23). Restoring humanity to God’s image (Gn 1:27) cannot be done by any creature though. Only Jesus, who is both God and man, can do it. In fact, He has already achieved it.

“Dying, you destroyed our death. Rising, you restored our life”, goes an old version when we proclaim the mystery of our faith after Consecration. We can experience Jesus’ restorative action through the sacraments. As sinners, we need healing through the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick. Reconciled and healed, we need nourishment through the Sacrament of the Eucharist. St. John Bosco once said, “The devil is deadly afraid of fervent Communions and frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament.” How often have we received the sacraments? When was the last time we spent moments adoring our Lord in the tabernacle? Today’s Gospel reminds us that we are in a spiritual battle, which we can only win if Jesus is on our side. Remember, “Though he (Christ) was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9).

Prayer

Lord Jesus, we praise You for You have rescued us. Through our frequent reception of the sacraments, especially receiving Your Body and Blood in Holy Communion, and our devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, may we conquer the enemy so that we may share in Your glory. Amen.

The True Meaning of Marriage

Twenty-seventh Sunday

in Ordinary Time

03 October 2021 

 

First Reading: GN 2:18-24

Responsorial Psalm: PS 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6

Second Reading: HEB 2:9-11

Gospel: MK 10:2-16 or 10:2-12

 

Reflection

By: Bernard Borja

 

When God created the earth, He gave man the freedom to decide the names of the animals. "Whatever the man called each of them would be its name." This is one of the first manifestations of co-creation when God lets man take a big part in His creation. God always listens to what man has to say, and let man use his freedom to decide things for the good of the whole creation. But even with this, only God knows what is good for His creation. When none of the creatures proved to be the suitable partner for the man, God created the woman out of the man's flesh. This is how the very first marriage came to be.

God Himself is the author of marriage. It is a natural law created ever since the beginning when man was created according to the image and likeness of God. Marriage has always been indissoluble, and in accordance with procreation. While marriage has always been one of the most beautiful creations of God, it has also been tainted with sin ever since Adam and Eve disobeyed God. Humankind took the freedom to decide on its own, even though it will break the natural law. But even though man continues to choose to "cross the line", God will always pursue us to bring back the beauty and sacredness of marriage, just like in the beginning.

During the time of Moses, divorce was permitted because of the hardness of the Israelites' hearts. Even today, there is still hardness in the hearts of humankind that continues to stain and even change the true meaning of marriage.

Divorce did not come from God. It was only allowed since the time of Moses because of couples are not anymore able to "work out" their relationship. But the rule of divorce has always been the same - one cannot divorce his or her spouse for the purpose of marrying another. In today's generation, it seems this rule does not matter. Divorce became an option, even when one is not yet married, for the reason that "the couple may find out that they are not meant for each other." This perception takes away one of the most important things that marriage requires - commitment. I remember a part of the homily during my friend's wedding when the priest shared, "There is something about commitment that changes the consistency of relationships, and that is not simply at the mercy of uncertain things yet to come." This commitment is affirmed during the exchange of vows when the couple promises "to be true to each other, in sickness and in health, to love and honor each other for the rest of their lives." But why is it that these words are easily overtaken by setting an option to "bail out" whenever one realizes that they are not meant to be? The perception of marriage, and the value of it, has evolved into something like a goal for couples when things are blissful but easily set aside in difficult times.

Jesus healed the tainted meaning of marriage. He continues to restore in us the value of this sacrament by reminding us that no human being must separate what God has joined together. Jesus also explained that divorce is only a physical separation of spouses, but they will remain husband and wife before the church. Marriage will always be indissoluble and commitment is one of the essential things needed to preserve it. People may think that this is difficult to achieve, and this maybe the reason why some are open to divorce. But by the grace of God, who for a little while was made lower than the angels and understands everything about being human, marriage is a wonderful journey that is worth every moment of a couple's life. Through Jesus Christ who consecrates, those being consecrated are constantly reminded and brought back to the true meaning of marriage.

 

Prayer

 

Lord, help us to truly understand the meaning of marriage so that we may continue to give utmost importance to this sacrament. Seeking the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

 

First Reading:  IS 42:1-4, 6-7

Responsorial Psalm:  PS 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10

Second Reading:  ACTS 10:34-38

Gospel:  MK 1:7-11

 

Reflection

By: Carlo Alexis Malaluan

 

Do you still remember the day of your baptism? Probably not, you were too little to be aware that you were being baptized – well, except of course if you have received the Sacrament of Baptism in your adult life. But one thing is for sure, in baptism we have gained our identity as a part of God's family – the Church. In baptism, we have received the grace to belong to a community of believers sharing the grace that God has bestowed upon each one of us.

 

In today's Gospel, we have seen Jesus in the Jordan river being baptized by John. A voice from heaven reaffirmed prophesies about Him. He is the one on whom His Spirit rests and will bring justice to the nations. This is the identity of Jesus.

 

In the post-modern world, many connotations and interpretations of who Jesus is have emerged in our consciousness. Yet, many people still don't believe in Christ. Many people would often cling to the explanation of skepticism and rejection of God. We, as a community of believers must retain our faith in Christ. We must take extra efforts to communicate who Jesus is to us, not only through our festive celebrations but more so in our lifestyle and in the way we move in the secular affairs of the world.

 

 

The year 2021 has marked the 500^th year of Christianity in the Philippines, our theme challenges us: "Missio ad Gentes!" Mission to the People. Let us take courage and heart to tell the world that Christ is alive and is with us! We must take sufferings without complaints, we must spread the Gospel with such joy and enthusiasm, we must live up with the Gospel values every single day of our lives – in that way our identity and that of identity of Jesus will be the same. So that when people see us, they may see the Christ in us. Let our identity be that of Jesus in the way, we can testify that Jesus is God's beloved son.
 

Prayer

 

God of all wilderness wanderers, you sent John to prepare the way for Jesus Christ, your beloved son. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us so that, like John, we may proclaim the time to turn from sinfulness and the good news of your grace; through Christ, the water of life. Amen.

 

Whoever Loves the Most Makes the First Move

The Baptism of the Lord
10 January 2010


Come, let us worship Christ, the beloved Son, in whom the Father is well pleased.

First reading Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7
Thus says the Lord:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom my soul delights.
I have endowed him with my spirit
that he may bring true justice to the nations.
He does not cry out or shout aloud,
or make his voice heard in the streets.
He does not break the crushed reed,
nor quench the wavering flame.
Faithfully he brings true justice;
he will neither waver, nor be crushed
until true justice is established on earth,
for the islands are awaiting his law.
I, the Lord, have called you to serve the cause of right;
I have taken you by the hand and formed you;
I have appointed you as covenant of the people and light of the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to free captives from prison,
and those who live in darkness from the dungeon.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 103:1-4,24-25,27-30

Second reading Acts 10:34-38
Peter addressed Cornelius and his household: ‘The truth I have now come to realise’ he said ‘is that God does not have favourites, but that anybody of any nationality who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him.
‘It is true, God sent his word to the people of Israel, and it was to them that the good news of peace was brought by Jesus Christ – but Jesus Christ is Lord of all men. You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil.’

Gospel Luke 3:15-16,21-22
A feeling of expectancy had grown among the people, who were beginning to think that John might be the Christ, so John declared before them all, ‘I baptise you with water, but someone is coming, someone who is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Now when all the people had been baptised and while Jesus after his own baptism was at prayer, heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily shape, like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.’


Reflection
By Gharri Tulabut

As we celebrate The Baptism of the Lord this Sunday, I would like share a Catholic Apologist’s simple explanation of why we Catholics baptize infants. This is in reply to a question posted at the Catholic Answers Forum of Catholic.com.


Q: Why should Catholic babies be baptized?

A: Children don’t have to understand the significance of the sacrament of Baptism to benefit from it. This sacrament’s great value lies in what it does to the soul by bestowing on it sanctifying grace which makes us co-heirs of heaven with Christ. Through Baptism the life of Jesus becomes our own. This means that we are raised to the level of the divine, which we could never achieve on our own.

We don’t wait for children to understand the value of vitamins before we give them vitamins. Why would we ever want to wait to give them the greatest gift possible—life in Christ?

- Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P. (http://forums.catholic.com/showpost.php?p=2632501&postcount=2)

There are so many less important things infants don't even need or understand (e.g. – first birthday party, branded clothes, even jewelry) but we grant these to them. Why not give them the most important gift of all?

There was one baptismal rite I attended as a substitute godfather. The presiding priest had this to say during the ceremony as if also to answer why Catholics baptize infants:


Priest: Does this baby know Jesus? Not yet.

Does Jesus know this baby? Of course, yes.

Do the parents know Jesus? Yes, I hope so.

Does this baby love Jesus? Probably not yet.

Does Jesus love this baby? Well, of course.

Do the parents love Jesus and the baby?

Parents: Yes!!! (this is the only time the parents answered)

Priest: Then whoever loves the most makes the first move.


Very applicable… not just in baptism.

Father, Thank You for Your love beyond compare! And thank You for giving us the greatest gift of all – a life in Christ. Amen.


Next week on God-speak Doing My Father's Affairs