Literal Sense

    

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

29 September 2024

 

First Reading: Nm 11:25-29

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14

Second Reading: Jas 5:1-6

Gospel: Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

 

Reflection

By: Bernard C. Borja

 

Do you know what a kleptomaniac is? A kleptomaniac takes things, literally.

A mother was cooking a family dinner when someone noticed that she was taking too long. The father checked on her and to his surprise, she was sitting inside the refrigerator. He asked what happened and the mother said, “The cooking instructions said, ‘Chill in the fridge for an hour.’”

During an argument, the girl says to her boyfriend, “I am leaving you. This is not working out.” The boyfriend replied, “I thought we were just arguing. We were not even stretching yet!”

A grandmother bought a movie for her granddaughter to watch at home. While her granddaughter was watching, she cooked dinner and did some chores. After watching, the granddaughter was running to her crying and shaking. The grandmother asked what happened and the granddaughter said, “I did not see any lamb at all!” The title of the movie says, “The Silence of the Lambs.”

We all have the tendency to take things literally, and I do not mean being a kleptomaniac. This means we sometimes lose our common sense. According to Wikipedia, Common Sense is "knowledge, judgement, and taste which is more or less universal, and which is held more or less without reflection or argument. It is often considered to represent the basic level of sound practical judgement or knowledge of basic facts that any adult human being ought to possess.” The keywords here would be, “Sound Practical Judgement.” In our everyday lives, how often do we lose our common sense? Are we even aware that we are capable of sound practical judgement? Listening to the Gospel today, we’ll try to focus on practicing our common sense as a Christian and follower of Christ.

When I was young, I remember a big portrait of Jesus attached on the wall of our house. This picture has an inscription, “The eyes of love” and really, His eyes seem to follow me everywhere. So whenever I want to do a mischievous thing, I would literally hide and make sure that I am out of sight of Jesus’ portrait. The Gospel today reminded me on what Jesus meant when he said, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.” It does not really mean cutting off my hand. If my right hand was cut off because I committed sin with it, I still have my left hand to continue committing the same or another sin. And I still have my feet and whole body to do forbidden things. So, it should not be in our literal sense that we try to understand what Jesus said. We can also remember when Jesus said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Taking these things literally would mean contradicting His commandment to “love one another as I have loved you.”

In our common sense, or in terms of sound practical judgement, we can understand that Jesus is telling us to put God first. As we are always reminded to have Christ at the center of everything. Not to take out everything that comes after, but to let go of whatever replaces God in our life. If our wealth would make us buy more than what we need and store things for our own benefit, then we may consider our wealth something that replaces God in our life. Jesus may tell us, “It is better for you to take no possession of wealth than to be thrown into the unquenchable fires.” Cutting off these things in this sense would also mean true freedom, in which we become more open to share the same love that Jesus gave to us.

Prayer

Dearest Lord, with grateful hearts, we give You thanks for making us stewards of Your great love. May we share this love with one another according to Your will and for Your greater glory. We ask for forgiveness when we lose our common sense in giving literal encouragement to the poor instead of giving food. May You guide us to seek Jesus first in everything that we do, for us to have the true freedom that You meant for us to have. In Jesus’ Name we pray, AMEN.

Peace Be With You

   

  Second Sunday of Advent 

04 December 2022 

 

First Reading: Is 11:1-10

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17

Second Reading: Rom 15:4-9

Gospel: Mt 3:1-12

 

Reflection

By: Ma. Rosalina S. Flores

 

This Second Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of peace, to which the various meanings are reflected upon in our Mass readings. In the First Reading, the prophet Isaiah prophesied the King to come who is the King of Peace. Saint Paul in his letter to the Romans gave importance on welcoming one another and living in harmony with each other. Saint Matthew highlighted Saint John the Baptist who was inviting the people to repent in order to enter the Kingdom of God through Jesus.

In today's modern world, peace is the most abused word as people define it differently and far from God's definition of peace mentioned in today's readings. Some say peace is no more violence but people are at war with the environment and those living in it. Peace is having a healthy relationship with others but cannot forgive his parents, brothers, sisters, or children. Peace is living a good life but at the expense of other people. And some would say inner peace but are actually addicted to drugs and sins.

Jesus, the Prince of Peace, the reason of our preparation for Christmas, is the only One who can give us genuine peace. But He requires us one thing to achieve His promised peace and that is to repent, to ask for the forgiveness of our sins, and hopefully to sin no more. That only requirement for peace is actually the hardest as we are sinners ourselves to which even after repentance, we still fall to the same sin again and again. But the good news is, Jesus is the fountain of mercy, our baby steps in going back to Him and doing good, will surely be remembered and be blessed. Jesus always wants the peace to be with us and may we aspire for peace to be with ourselves, too.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, help us to repent and find Your peace. It will not be an easy task for a sinner like me but I know it is possible. Aid me in moving forward to Your mercy and may the peace be with me, Amen.

Kind and Merciful God

 

 Third Sunday of Lent

20 March 2022

 

First Reading: EX 3:1-8a, 13-15

Responsorial Psalm: PS 103: 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11

Second Reading: 1 COR 10:1-6, 10-12

Gospel: LK 13:1-9

 

Reflection

By: Jose Paulo M. Gonzales

 

Truth be told: many of us believe that the good that we experience, we deserve. The tendency can be stronger for Christians. Since we strive to stay close to the Lord in how we live, likely it is for us to think: "Ah, I am reaping all these good fruits because I have kept good with the Lord." God certainly likes to bless His faithful. It is a delight for Him to see us walk in His leading; but there is something unchristian with this thinking. As easy it is to believe that we deserve what we enjoy because we have been good, it is just as easy to hold those with their misfortune deserving of their predicament. In our minds, they must have been done something wrong to be meted those punishments. We worship a just God, do we not? But what will happen when we come across our own mishaps? We may ruminate repeatedly: "I have tried my best to be a good Christian. Why do I still have trouble?" A conundrum like this could further make us question: "Have I been bad? Do I worship a just God? How does God's justice work?"

"Thank God", I saw from a Facebook post. It was a reference to Psalm 130:3 For–"If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?" If only we realize how easy it could be for anyone to sin, perhaps no one will want to claim first in God's questioning. "Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28); "anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment; [...] anyone who says to a brother or sister, 'Raca,' is answerable to the court; and anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell" (Matthew 5:22). If these simple occurrences already count as sins, there can be more that we are guilty of without our knowing. Sinful though we are, why then are we still blessed? First, we must realize that it is not our works that win God's favor: "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not—by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). If it is not our works that determine who gets grace, it follows that it is not our righteousness that predicts who receives God's goodwill; it is, instead, God's generosity: "[God] causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matthew 5:45). If God blesses both the good and the wicked, can we ever be sure that His justice would stay as clear cut as we expect? Not so, at least not in the way we understand justice. For the way we hold justice is limited—even juvenile compared to God's definition of justice. Whom we deem guilty can well differ from the opinion of One who can see everything clearly. God is the One who sees and knows it all—He is omniscient; He is ever-present and powerful—He is omnipotent. If our senses can notice only so many objects and our minds can store and interpret only so much information, how trusting can we be of our judgment? How confident can we be to say who is with sin? And how confident can we be that we are free of guilt? "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone..." (John 8:7).

We must not make of ourselves as though spotless slates, for all do sin, and there only need beheld one thing we treasure dearly to reveal: we can all be impassioned towards evil. Everyone has as much propensity to sin as those they hold despicable, and between persons, the sight of one's evil does not make anyone a perfect judge, for in different circumstances who is judge, who is victim, who is perpetrator - these would change. The only thing that differentiates us from each other is our buffer, whatever it could be: conscience, fear of God, the fallout with our well-meaning loved ones, the prospect of what we would lose and whom else we would hurt, and many more. All sin under the eyes of God who sees it all, and chance only needs to catch us open to determine who gets convicted, but it remains—all sin whether in broad daylight or behind closed doors; and the Good News is this: we are not without forgiveness; not without a Savior. Jesus Christ is the Name by which we will be saved. Furthermore, the teachings of the Church would reveal to us an innateness to our person that is defined not ultimately by our concupiscence—our very tendency to sin—but by our being made in the Image and Likeness of God. Therefore,  we discover that it is not our sins that constitute our character. If anything, they detract us from becoming our true selves in God.

God's justice is so good to understand these dynamics of ours that I curiously pose, if I may, that the reason we are handed what is right and what is evil is to precisely establish the basic condition by which we can all live in peace; but God's thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways, higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9); God's work goes way beyond assigning accountability. If God knows very well that everyone falls short and who is guilty and greatly predicted by who is seen faltering for the time, we will understand why He stresses to the fore the three most universal values: faith, hope, and the greatest of these—love (1 Corinthians 13). Love is the virtue that binds everyone together in fraternal communion. God, knowing our frailties and how encumbering they can be, wants us to focus instead on the remedies: the virtue-solutions! Love—its true and divinely guided expression—is enough to encompass every good we should do to each other, including every evil we should withdraw from, for "love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law"  (Romans 13:10). The way to this love starts with the first step: repentance of our own wrongdoings. It is repentance that makes possible a more transformative reconciliation with the Lord and others. The Gospel for today (Luke 13:1-9) emphasizes the purpose of this repentance: so we do not perish at the appointed time. We know that we invoke the right spirit to repentance when we are driven not exclusively by the urge to call out others on their wrongs, but when we make good of ourselves as good we intend to make of others.

The parable that Jesus told about the fig tree that would not bear fruit can be likened to us in times when we are fruitless or unproductive. The work of good can take years of tedious struggling and would not stop until one's final breath, and there could be great compulsion to stop all efforts when there are no good results. Thankfully, as patient Jesus is, He advises us to be patient with ourselves and others; for in time, we may finally produce the good fruit we seek. Until then, we can always ask the Lord for help, and we will find no better companion than Him. Along these lines, I remember a quote from Alexander Den Heijer: "When a flower does not bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower." This quote reminds us not to discount the environment in which we grow. While we could take great care to become "flowers"—or our best state so to speak, we must place as much attention towards our environment and all the factors that compose it, such as the places we frequent, the messages we consume, and most of all, the people we regularly surround ourselves with. Our environment, among other things we put into our nature, can be just as crucial to our spiritual growth and fidelity. Therefore, if there is no better companion than Christ, then we know Who to look for to help us the whole way.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for being our good Father and for all the graces You give us. May You help us know where we are at fault and to acknowledge them genuinely so that as heartfelt our contrition is, so our reconciliation with You and others will be. In our intention to know where we could improve, may we follow Your spirit and rightful instruction so we advise each other not only with the urge to correct, but chiefly with love, communion, forgiveness, and reconciliation. May we follow Your ways in our dealings with You, others, and ourselves. These we ask in Jesus' Most Holy Name, 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.

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.

Kanino ka natatakot?

Pentecost Sunday  June 8

First reading Acts 2:1-11

When Pentecost day came round, they had all met in one room, when suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, the noise of which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech.

  Now there were devout men living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this sound they all assembled, each one bewildered to hear these men speaking his own language. They were amazed and astonished. ‘Surely’ they said ‘all these men speaking are Galileans? How does it happen that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; people from Mesopotamia, Judaea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya round Cyrene; as well as visitors from Rome – Jews and proselytes alike – Cretans and Arabs; we hear them preaching in our own language about the marvels of God.’

Psalm                                                                          Psalm 103:1,24,29-31,34

Second reading                                                       1 Corinthians 12:3-7,12-13

No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’ unless he is under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
There is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done,
but always to the same Lord; working in all sorts of different ways in different people, it is the 
same God who is working in all of them. The particular way in which the Spirit is given to each 
person is for a good purpose. Just as a human body, though it is made up of many parts, is a
single unit because all these parts, though many, make one body, so it is with Christ. In the one 
Spirit we were all baptised, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well 
as citizens, and one Spirit was given to us all to drink.

Gospel                                                                       John 20:19-23

In the evening of the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.

‘As the Father sent me,

so am I sending you.’

After saying this he breathed on them and said:

‘Receive the Holy Spirit.

For those whose sins you forgive,

they are forgiven;

for those whose sins you retain,

they are retained.’

Reflection by Nats Vibiesca

Iba’t iba ang dahilan, lahat tayo’y minsan nang dinatnan ng takot sa kung sino man. Kapag takot sa tao ang pinag-uusapan, agad na pumapasok sa isip ko ang mga terror kong guro noon (mula elementarya hanggang kolehiyo); naiisip ko rin ang mga tiyahin ko na pilit kaming pinapatulog noon tuwing tanghali at kung hindi kami matutulog ay pingot at kurot sa singit ang aabutin. Noon iyon na wala pa ‘kong kamalay-malay sa paligid na ginagalawan. Pero ngayon, ang mga tao sa gobyerno ang siyang nakapagdudulot ng matinding takot sa akin (o sa karamihan). Hindi ba’t nakakatakot na napakaraming sinungaling at kurakot sa pamahalaan na kitang-kita ang mga kalokohan dahil saksakan ng dami ang mga ebidensiya ng kawalanghiyaan pero hindi naman sila napaparusahan? Totoong nakakatakot ang pagkawala ng mga konsiyensiya ng mga dapat ay lingkod ng bayan ngunit naging halimaw na sa kasakiman at nakalimutan ang dapat na serbisyong ibinibigay sa mamamayan.  

At ang mas matinding pagkatakot ay hindi lang para sa sarili kundi ang takot para sa kinabukasan ng ating mga anak. Ano’ng klaseng bayan ang magigisnan ng mga batang henerasyon? Nakakatakot din ang maaaring isumbat nila sa atin sa pagpapamana ng kaguluhan at kahirapan ng lipunan. At ano ang kontribusyon ng mga nasa gitnang uri (middle class) sa pagsasaayos ng ating bansa? Sapat bang magkibit-balikat na lang sila, siguraduhin ang sariling kapakanan ng pamilya, at maghintay na lang ng kung anumang solusyon ang dumating para sa bayan? Pinaghirapan nga naman nila ang kasalukuyang estado sa buhay kaya’t marapat lang na protektahan ang mga bagay na bunga ng kanilang pagsusumikap. Samantalang ang mga hampaslupa, etsapuwera, dugyot na mamamayan ay napipinid ang boses sa kawalan. 

Ayoko na ngang tanungin pa ang mga taong sobrang yaman dahil si Jesus na nga ang nagsabing dadaan muna sila sa butas ng karayom bago pa makarating sa langit.  Saan huhugutin ng mas nakararaming mamamayang naghihirap sa kasalukuyang panahon ang lakas ng loob sa pagsupil ng kasamaan sa bayan? Punong-puno na ng pagkatakot ang kawawang mamamayan. Wala na nga rin siyang malugaran upang makapagtago.

Subalit sa gitna ng lahat ng pagkatakot na bumabagabag sa atin, tuwi-tuwina’y sa ganitong pagkakataon ay biglang nagpapakita ang Panginoon sa atin (tulad ng sa Ebanghelyo ngayon). Dahil sa sobrang kaguluhan, kalituhan at pagkatakot, madalas ay nakakaligtaan nating lumapit sa Diyos, kaya’t ang Diyos na mismo ang lumalapit sa atin upang magbigay ng pambihirang kapayapaan. Pilit hinahanap ng Diyos ang sinumang nagtatago dahil sa malabis na pagkatakot at saka ibibigay ang kapayapaan na hindi kayang ibigay ninuman. Ang kapayapaang dulot ni Jesus ay kayang pumawi ng lahat ng pagkatakot, kaguluhan, kahirapan, at kasawian sa buhay. Para bagang sinasabi Niyang “Relaks lang, ako’ng bahala sa inyo, kaya kong gawan ng paraan ang lahat ng problema ninyo.” Hindi ba’t ganito ang mga salitang nakakapagpagaan ng anumang suliranin sa buhay? Kapag nasigurado na niyang panatag na ang ating mga kalooban, saka niya tayo bibigyan ng misyon. 

Bilang tao, kabahan man tayo nang kaunti sa anumang misyon, hinding-hindi na matotodo ang ating pagkatakot sa sinumang humahadlang sa kagustuhan ng Diyos, dahil ang Espiritu ng Diyos na ibinigay ni Jesus ay nasa kalooban na natin. Kaya nga’t hindi na nakapagtataka na sa kabila ng kahirapan, may mga tao pa ring tapat na naglilingkod sa kumpanyang pinapasukan. Hindi sila nagdadalawang isip gumawa ng kabutihan kaya’t hindi nila maaatim na pagnakawan ang kumpanyang pinagtatrabahuhan. Lagi nilang isinasang-alang-alang ang sasabihin ng kanilang mga anak at ng darating pang henerasyon. Ang mga taong nakatanggap ng misyong kaloob ni Jesus ay hindi na natatakot maging mabuting halimbawa saan man magpunta.     

Prayer

Panginoong Jesus, salamat sa Iyong handog na kapayapaan lalo na ngayong nalilito na kami sa kaguluhang nararanasan sa aming bayan. Manatili nawa sa amin ang kaloob mong Espiritu upang maging matatag kami sa pagtupad ng misyong maging mabuting halimbawa ng isang tunay na Kristiyano.  Amen.

Reverse Self-Righteousness?

First Reading: Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18

Do not offer him a bribe, for he will not accept it; and do not trust to an unrighteous sacrifice; for the Lord is the judge, and with him is no partiality. He will not show partiality in the case of a poor man; and he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged. He will not ignore the supplication of the fatherless, nor the widow when she pours out her story. He whose service is pleasing to the Lord will be accepted, and his prayer will reach to the clouds. The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds, and he will not be consoled until it reaches the Lord; he will not desist until the Most High visits him, and does justice for the righteous, and executes judgment. And the Lord will not delay, neither will he be patient with them, till he crushes the loins of the unmerciful and repays vengeance on the nations; till he takes away the multitude of the insolent, and breaks the scepters of the unrighteous;

Psalm: Psalm 34:2-3, 17-19, 23

Second Reading: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. At my first defense no one took my part; all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength to proclaim the message fully, that all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Gospel: Luke 18:9-14

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, `God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, `God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Reflection
By Gharri Tulabut

One of the few things that stopped me in the past from accepting and pursuing higher responsibilities in my charismatic community is the thought that my past misdeeds made me unworthy to become a servant of God.

Yes I know that for every saint, there is a past and for every sinner, there is a future as they say. I was also aware that the Church is for the sinners, that doctors are for the sick (primarily).

Still I feared that if people who knew me in the past would see me, let’s say, leading a worship or delivering a talk, they might say “I know this person. How dare he speak and act like that? Don’t we know how sinful this person is?” It’s not even about me. I am more worried that it will have a negative effect to the reputation of my community and, especially, of the Church.

But that was before I got hold of an old issue of Kerygma magazine which had on the second page what seems to be a list of the qualifications of the then leaders of the Light of Jesus community. Their leader was a former porn addict. One of them had many girlfriends despite being married. Another was a former hit man of a fraternity. And the list goes on.

The first thing that came to my mind as I read that page was “Wow, I belong here. Pwede pala!”

So I joined this community and I am glad that they really seek those who are going the wrong way. They accept whatever you are, not judge you but just accept you and make friends with you with the hope that you yourself, with help of God, would realize how to change for the right direction.

So now I am thinking that I might be able to use my (not really very) dark past to be an example for others that there is hope to change. That God loves us no matter what mistakes we had. And that there are people who do not look at our past and are willing to be our friends and to be associated with “sinners” like me.

I really want to make myself as an example for those who are currently spiritually lost. But I still could not do that. Not until I get the proper training or mentoring to do it. Because I am afraid I would become what I would call as a reverse self-righteous person. I might be boasting already of my previous sins to the point that I might be delivering a wrong message.

What if I let people know that I was chain smoker before but now I already quit (just an example). What if they say, “We’ll just follow your way. We’ll just quit later just like you did.”

Or what if I confess that I engaged in sexual immorality in the past (again, just an example). I might send the wrong message that it’s okay to enjoy these worldly things first and just change later.

Until I am confident enough to tell my next of kin about my previous sins, I’ll just keep my mouth shut in public for now. But maybe to help individuals who are already in those situations, with the guidance from the Holy Spirit, I will help by using myself as an example.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for loving us unconditionally. May we always do the same and not be judgmental  to our brethren no matter what their past mistakes are so that we will lead them to You and not the other way around. Teach us Lord not to be self-righteous when we speak. And may our works glorify You always. Amen!

Wish To Be Clean

" But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds. “

First Reading: Lev. 13:1-2, 44-46

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch which appears to be the sore of leprosy, he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest, or to one of the priests among his descendants, the man is leprous and unclean, and the priest shall declare him unclean by reason of the sore on his head. "The one who bears the sore of leprosy shall keep his garments rent and his head bare, and shall muffle his beard; he shall cry out, 'Unclean, unclean!' As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean, since he is in fact unclean. He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.

Resp. Psalm: Psalms 32:1-2, 5, 11

Second Reading: 1^st Cor. 10:31--11:1

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. Avoid giving offense, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Gospel: Mark 1:40-45

A leper  came to him (and kneeling down) begged him and said, "If you wish, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean." The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, "See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them." The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

Reflection

By Benj Santiago

“As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean, since he is in fact unclean. He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.” (Leviticus 13:46)

“A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, “”If you wish, you can make me clean.”” (Mk1:40)

Have you seen a leper? Nowadays, this disease is already curable. However, you still would feel that lepers still opt to live together and make their abode afar from those who are without the disease. In the past, it is more difficult both physically and emotionally for those who were afflicted with leprosy for they have to even live outside the camp or away from others. They are ostracized as unclean and any contact with them will render the person who touches them to be unclean as well.

Feeling unclean is same thing as feeling sinful. When we sin, we are actually staying away from God. We camp outside away from God because of our sins. But God never wants us to separate with Him. It is our sinfulness that pulls us away from Him. But in spite of our sinfulness, our being a leper, we do not have to camp out from Him.  All we have to do is approach Him and beg His kindness and mercy, just like what the leper did. And I am so sure that just like the leper who begged Him, He will wash away our sins and make us free from our sins (leprosy).

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we praise and thank You for Your mercy and kindness. For Your undying love for us, though we are sinful and tend to stay away from You. We do not even have to beg You for You already know our desires. All we have to do is come to You and You will restore us and make us clean again. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray. Amen.

Action

Today, let us do our best to go to confession and make ourselves clean again. Pray also that many people who need repentance and reconciliation turn away from their sins and return to God.

Let us also pray for those who are actually inflicted with skin disease that may be able to obtain healing and cleansing from their afflictions.