In October 2022, when my neurologist doctor told me that my Bell's Palsy was resolved, I purposely posted my healing story on Facebook, documenting everything from the first day I experienced symptoms to the day I completed 15 sessions of physical therapy. It's my way of reminding myself to give thanks and glorify the Lord for His unwavering goodness and faithfulness toward me during that difficult time.
Today's Gospel recounts the story of the ten lepers who were cleansed but only one, a Samaritan, has returned to thank and glorify Jesus for the miracle. The other nine were also healed but did not bother to give thanks to the One who made it possible.
How about us? Do we remember to thank God for the many blessings we receive? Not only for the things we have prayed for fervently, but also for those we did not ask for really, do we acknowledge God as the source of everything good in our lives?
It's easy to turn to God in times of struggle, but it’s hard to recognize Him when things are going well. Our Sunday Gospel reminds us that all blessings, whether it’s healing from sickness, finding our dream job, settling down with someone special, or simply being alive, are gifts from God. Let’s take time to thank Him for everything.
As Jean-Baptiste Massieu said, “Gratitude is the memory of the heart", let us remember to be grateful every day for all the blessings, big or small.
Like Mary, may we always proclaim the goodness of the Lord, our God, our Savior.
Prayer
Dear Lord, teach me the virtue of gratitude, to always recognize that every blessing comes from You. As we are blessed, may we bless others, too. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.
Today’s Gospel is a reiteration of what God told us last Sunday. He once again gives more emphasis on the value of the bread and wine that we are partaking in the Holy Eucharist, more so, how that Bread alone and a profound relationship with Jesus nourishes our Spirit. Jesus begins by declaring, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." To the listeners of His time, this was a controversial statement. They murmured, questioning how He could claim such a divine origin, knowing His earthly parents. Yet, as the reading continues, Jesus challenges their understanding of spiritual reality versus physical reality.
The idea of Jesus as the "bread of life" resonates deeply with me. Bread is a basic, daily necessity—something we rely on for physical sustenance. Similarly, Jesus positions Himself as essential for our spiritual well-being. Just as we cannot live without bread, we cannot thrive spiritually without the sustenance He provides. This comparison makes me ponder my own spiritual hunger.
It is easy to believe in Jesus and His teaching when things are going well with my life. My spirits are high to worship and give thanks but when circumstances are odd and when at times everything seems going wrong, I oftentimes find myself asking where is God in all these. What is He trying to teach me? When and how will help come? It is hard to see the good when everything around is dark. In spite of these, I can feel that tiny spark inside me, telling me to endure and hold on, receive the Eucharist, read His promises in the Bible, attend the weekly worship session, and just let go. Cry if you need to, let go and let God handle it.
The passage also challenges me to reflect on the nature of faith and acceptance. Jesus says, "The one who feeds on this bread will live forever." This is a call to not just acknowledge Him but to fully embrace Him and His teachings. It's about an ongoing relationship where we continually draw from His life-giving presence. In practice, this means prioritizing time for prayer, reflection, and seeking to live according to His teachings. It’s a call to recognize that, like physical bread, the spiritual nourishment Jesus provides is something I must consistently return to. It’s about daily choices to align my life with His will and to rely on His grace.
As I think about these verses, I am reminded that the bread of life is not just a doctrine to be understood but a reality to be lived. It’s an invitation to a deeper, more meaningful relationship with Christ, a relationship that transforms not just my spiritual life but the way I approach every aspect of my existence.
Prayer
Dear God,
May we continually seek Jesus, the bread of life, to find our deepest satisfaction and purpose in His presence. We trust that Your profound love and provision is available to us especially when we come to You with open hearts, may we easily recognize Your work in our lives. May we be instruments of Your loving presence in the people we encounter in our daily lives. Amen.
As the saying goes, there is always, and always, and always, something to be thankful for. No matter how bad our day has been, only when silence becomes intentional, when we look deeper, feel deeper, and think deeper, then we realize that we are still blessed. The Jesuits call this practice, “examen”, typically done on a daily basis, a moral evaluation and reflection of our thoughts and actions. It leads us and can already be part of our prayer. This Sunday we are invited to look deeper into ourselves, our relationships, our life, and appreciate all the graces we are receiving. Appreciation leads to gratitude. Gratitude leads to happiness. All the grateful people I met are happy people.
The Gospel is about the ten lepers Jesus healed and only one came back to express thanksgiving. We may be like the ten lepers, desperately and sincerely we ask God for something we want, may it be healing, financial abundance, provision of something, or even forgiveness. We spend so much effort in praying during these moments, completing novena masses, asking for blessings of the Holy water, and regularly we pray. As a student way back then, I usually attended the Thursday novena masses in St. Jude. I am amazed by how the Church and even the parking area is filled with students especially before board or bar examinations. In silence also, I wonder how many will come back when they receive the results of the examination, regardless if they pass or not. Will they be thankful? Will they still hold on to their faith if they didn’t? Will they still be hopeful?
Let us spend some time looking into our blessings and see how God has been very faithful to us in providing us what we need at the right moment. This month, we also celebrated the International Teachers Day. Students show their appreciation to the people in school who teach them, keep them safe, encourage them, and make them feel loved. Let us look at our great teacher and our perfect teacher, Jesus. He spent all His life teaching us how to live a good life. Let us continue learning, practice His teachings, and feel that we are all loved by a merciful and loving God, and that I think is already enough to be happy and to pay it forward.
Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You so much for teaching us how to love and showing us the secret to happiness. Thank you for this life, for the people who care for us, for all the provisions, no matter how little it is. There is always something that inspires us to continue and be a blessing to others. May we always be that one healed leper who sought you just to give thanks. Amen.
"Affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint."
Pope Francis said this last year on Trinity Sunday:
"Today is the Sunday of the Most Holy Trinity. The light of Eastertide and of Pentecost renews in us every year the joy and amazement of faith: let us recognize that God is not something vague, our God is not a God "spray," he is tangible; he is not abstract but has a name: "God is love". His is not a sentimental, emotional kind of love but the love of the Father who is the origin of all life, the love of the Son who dies on the Cross and is raised, the love of the Spirit who renews human beings and the world. Thinking that God is love does us so much good, because it teaches us to love, to give ourselves to others as Jesus gave himself to us and walks with us. Jesus walks beside us on the road through life." We can celebrate this great solemnity, not by thinking about or arguing about concepts on how the Trinity works, but by opening our hearts to a deeper relationship with our God, who is love. We can have a relationship with each of the Persons in the Trinity. Certainly the God who made us can fill us with grateful love. All of creation can give glory to God for the wonders which surround us. As we reflect on the gift of life itself, we may be tempted to feel overwhelmed with life's struggles.
While many are rejoicing, many are still hurting up to this time one month after the election. We are still in the midst of the pandemic. There's also war in Ukraine. So many uncertainties. Many are suffering, afflicted, depressed with what's going on in their lives. Personally, I just came from a medical crisis in the family. I sometimes feel it's just too much. Lord can I still carry on? Where is the Holy Trinity?
Hey can we pause for a while and be present for the moment? Are you alive? Are you breathing? No matter how great the storm may be, there is hope. And in today's Second Reading, it assures us that, "affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint."
Start writing down the things that you are thankful for and you will be surprise! Start it right now. Thank God for a new life every morning, for the sunshine, for the rain, for the trees, for the flowers, the plants, the mountains, the sea, your eyes to, your ears to hear, there is food on the table, you still have your feet to walk, you have friends, you can still meet the people online, the gift of technology, you can connect and browse the internet, you have your phone, the comfort of your bed, the air conditioner, the electric fan, your kitchen, your home, and on and on. How many were you able to list down?
Yes, we may be filled with dark clouds but the Holy Trinity is here, our Abba Father, our Lord Jesus and our advocate the Holy Spirit. Let us keep the faith and hope in the Trinity. Let us thank Him for His continued presence and unconditional love. Stay in faith. The Trinity is our only refuge at this time of the afflictions, trials, and sufferings, and for that we should already give thanks. We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. We strive for the grand spiritual adventure, which we haven't had, and neglect the many gifts from God that we do have. Let us be satisfied with the small measure of spiritual knowledge, experience, and love that has been given us.
Hope never fails.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, for whatever life may bring, I say THANK YOU! Give me the grace of a grateful heart all the time. Cause when there is gratitude and humility, there is peace. Thank You for everything You have given me Lord including the gift of life that I sometimes take for granted. All this I pray in Jesus' Name, Amen.
"Moved with pity." In stories of Jesus' healing, most of what we hear is how Jesus can restore people to pristine condition even with the people doing things little in appearance but are actually great displays of faith. Not much attention is given to the feeling that made Jesus deem it necessary to heal. And also this is where we focus on today: "pity."
The "pity" we examine here is not that which is synonymous with "patronization" or "condescension." For the pity of Christian quality is not that which is infested with an "I am better than thou" mentality, but one which understands, communes with, and bears affection for another who is suffering. The closest pity to the Christian character is that we call empathy: the ability to put oneself in another's shoes.
The pity most commendable is that which moves us to positive action. We can see someone suffering and we can look wistfully at them and say: "I pity", but unless and until there is action to better other's experience, pity stays as it is: a feeling...a feeling that is soon to stagnate when left on its own.
The direction pity takes us is another to consider. Towards which action—positive or negative this pity moves us, we should be wary of, for we can think that we are only "looking out for another", but in our haste and disregard for the other's pace and feelings, little do we know, we could be spreading salt on the wounds he or she has long been struggling with.
It is not enough to pity. To pity is static if it ends in itself but bears good if it directs us towards positive action. Further, even if we may be "well-meaning" to another, we must be caring of his or her situation and disposition. We must think about how he or she is feeling, and how fast or slow, how accepting or resistant he or she is about the actions we recommend to him or her out of pity, for to deal with another in disregard can be dehumanizing, undignified, and unchristian. Such disregard can lead to falling outs that can happen even in the mundanity of the dinner's table.
The pity, or should we say empathy we should espouse is that of Jesus, who looks lovingly at His sheep and in His wistfulness at their predicament, is moved to healing. Our healing, while not miraculous, may come even in simple words, in humble but steady and warm company, as long as we have and nurture the love Jesus had for others and set it ever ablaze within ourselves.
Lastly, as we talk about pity, another important point must be made. We commonly extend pity to those who have less, but do we realize that we should be extending the same loving pity towards those who give us so many and so much but go without being thanked? Our Gospel for today is that of a leper being healed, and in another story, as we recall, God healed another ten, but only one came back to offer his thanks. May we ever be grateful for the kindness God extends us. If we only knew how many and much He gave and still continues to give, the number of our days would never be commensurate avenues for thanksgiving. So it is our words, as limited as they are, in which we can thank the Lord, but more so, in our deeds the—kindness we "pay forward" to others.
Prayer
Jesus, as we adopt in our lives the kind of pity You were inspired by, may we be moved to positive action and so better others' lives, not to be content doing nothing with their plight.
May our pity bring healing to others and not damage them through condescension. May we empathize with them and love them so we turn into You and show Your loving face to alleviate them of their suffering.
In the same vein, in Your righteous and loving pity towards us, may Your miraculous healings to us and others develop in us the natural proclivity and ultimately the will to thank You back as did the one leper You healed and went back to You to give his thanks, and to extend to others the same kindness You graced us with.
Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters,
you have no need for anything to be written to you.
For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come
like a thief at night.
When people are saying, "Peace and security,"
then sudden disaster comes upon them,
like labor pains upon a pregnant woman,
and they will not escape.
But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness,
for that day to overtake you like a thief.
For all of you are children of the light
and children of the day.
We are not of the night or of darkness.
Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do,
but let us stay alert and sober.
GospelMatthew 25:14-30
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,
and made another five.
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground
and buried his master's money.
"After a long time
the master of those servants came back
and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents came forward
bringing the additional five.
He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.’
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.’
Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,
'Master, you gave me two talents.
See, I have made two more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.’
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,
'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,
harvesting where you did not plant
and gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.
Here it is back.'
His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant
and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank
so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has,
more will be given and he will grow rich;
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"
Reflection
By Art B. Reyes
Today’s Gospel talks about the Parable of the
Talents.God has given us talents. These
are the skills, the abilities that each of us uniquely possessed. They are just
there, waiting to be discovered, utilized, and put into good use. Our talents
must not be hidden or put to waste but rather be maximized and shared for
common good.
The Gospel says that each man was given talents
“according to his own ability”.Sounds
unfair in worldly standard, but everything is equal, at the end of our days,
when final accounting is done. Each of us will be judged not according to the
quantities of talents we’ve been given but how we developed and used those.
There are people who are good in making money in
their chosen business, and there are those who are big earners in their
lucrative employment. They are successful not only because of their talents,
but because they take action and work hard. In the parable, the man receiving
only 1 talent did not work, and as a result he earned nothing in return.
There are people whose talents are limited but
they excel in what they do. It is because they give their very best. We can all
be successful when we give our finest and leave everything else to God. As in
the story, both servants were successful, even though one ended up with a
greater return.
We fail when we don’t use our talents. We don’t
succeed either when we abuse them. It is our duty to use our talents, no matter
how much we’ve been given. We need to leverage our opportunities. We need to
work, strive, and develop our talents to glorify God in the process.
- - - - - - - - - - -
To date, there are about 52 million people
infected by the deadly Covid 19 virus already. The pandemic has claimed so many
lives and livelihoods. LastMonday,
BioNTech and Pfizer announced that a vaccine for the coronavirus developed by
Dr. Sahin and his team was more than 90 percent effective in preventing the
disease among trial volunteers. The stunning results vaulted the company to the
front of the race to find a cure for a disease that has killed more than 1.2
million people worldwide.
BioNTech, which Dr. Sahin founded with his wife,
Dr. Özlem Türeci, was mostly focused on cancer treatments. They have dedicated
their lives to the field of oncology and infectious diseases, and spent years
pioneering treatments for cancer. Sahin has been described as a "modest
and humble" person. ”Despite his achievements, he never changed from being
incredibly humble and personable," his colleague said.
The couple live with their teenage daughter in a
modest apartment near their office. They ride bicycles to work. They do not own
a car. They are extremely talented but very down to earth people.
Our talent is to be discovered, utilized, and
shared. It is not only for oneself, but for others. Our talents and blessings
should lead us to be humble, and to be grateful to God.
Prayer
Lord, show us the gifts and talents You have
given us. Help us share with others these gifts which we enjoy. Let us learn to
use them for Your glory.Amen.
So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, as Elisha had told him to do. And his flesh became clean once more like the flesh of a little child. Returning to Elisha with his whole escort, he went in and, presenting himself, said, 'Now I know that there is no God anywhere on earth except in Israel. Now, please, accept a present from your servant.'
But Elisha replied, 'As Yahweh lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing.' Naaman pressed him to accept, but he refused. Then Naaman said, 'Since your answer is "No," allow your servant to be given as much earth as two mules may carry, since your servant will no longer make burnt offerings or sacrifice to any god except Yahweh.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
Second Reading: 2 Timothy 2:8-13
Remember the gospel that I carry, 'Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the race of David'; it is on account of this that I have to put up with suffering, even to being chained like a criminal. But God's message cannot be chained up. So I persevere for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they, too, may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Here is a saying that you can rely on: If we have died with him, then we shall live with him. If we persevere, then we shall reign with him. If we disown him, then he will disown us. If we are faithless, he is faithful still, for he cannot disown his own self.
Gospel: Luke 17:11-19
Now it happened that on the way to Jerusalem he was travelling in the borderlands of Samaria and Galilee. As he entered one of the villages, ten men suffering from a virulent skin-disease came to meet him. They stood some way off and called to him, 'Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.'
When he saw them he said, 'Go and show yourselves to the priests.' Now as they were going away they were cleansed. Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the top of his voice and threw himself prostrate at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. This led Jesus to say, 'Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they?
It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.' And he said to the man, 'Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.'
Reflection
By Rosalinda N. Markell
Have we thought of the wondrous power of giving thanks to God? When you open the golden pages of the Bible, you will read God's wonderful words. There, it says, "In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made unto God." (Philippians 4:6).
Notice that the Bible does not say that we are just to thank God for what He has given us, but with thanksgiving, let our request made unto God. Without doubt, we should thank God in advance for providing us our needs.
As most of us may know, giving praise and saying thank you for the gifts received, big or small, seem to boost the giver's spirit and power. People seem to grow and blossom when they are praised and thanked for. God may feel the same way. We make Him happy, when we give Him praise and offer thanksgiving. When was the last time we thanked God? Thanked those around us? It is unfortunate that the words "Thank you" is no longer often heard at home or elsewhere as though everything done by parents to their children is obligation, as though everything done by cleaners or security guards is just part of their job.
When we give thanks, it makes our own spirit jump for joy too. Look at the Blessed Virgin Mary when she visited Elizabeth. Didn't she burst into her now famous Magnificat? Look at that Samaritan leper who was cured of his disease. Didn't he praise God on the top of his voice and prostrated himself to Jesus? Giving thanks is good for us! And surely, God will be happy to bring life and health and also peace to us in a greater abundance.
Let us be thankful to God for whatever He gives us, but also be gracious, brave, and strong enough to share it with others.
Prayer
Dear loving Father, this is the time when we come to You, not with a wish or plea, but with a song of thanksgiving. Yes, we know how many times we have come to You with questions and fears. But we truly are so thankful that You calm our fears and answer our questions in Your time. Please help us, dear Father, to be thankful for all our blessings, whether big or small. Thank you for the blessings of love, health, protection for our love ones, happy true friends and for a wonderful home. Thank you for the privilege of praying to You, our dear Father. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.
ANABELLE PAYOD-BALLA is married and is blessed with four lovely daughters. Currently the Faith section Editor, Ana is one of the Tanghalang Anluwage’s members since its inception in 1991.
ART B. REYES is a semiconductor engineering professional. He is one of the founding members of Tanghalang Anluwage.
ELIZABETH R. EGUIA is an employee of a software provider company in Malaysia and has dedicated herself in bringing the Gospel to the barangay level.
NICOLA ALBANO-RACHIELE was a cardiac nurse for almost 8 years in Manhattan, NY before moving to Bethlehem, PA where she continues her career at St. Luke's University Health Network Electrophysiology Laboratory.
GRACE B. MADRINAN is an Industrial Engineering graduate of Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and currently works for a semiconductor company in Cavite.
EDGARDO TULABUT is a Logistics supervisor, Financial educator, Health Advocate, Future Feast Builder under the Light of Jesus-Pampanga, Blogger, Christian Music Enthusiast, & a Coffee Freak.
FIDJI RIVERA - SARMIENTO is a special educator, answered her calling to teach beyond their home-front by establishing her own intervention center. An advocate of the inclusion education system & of the handmade revolution.
MAYZELLE ATIENZA worked for 12 years as a product engineer in Intel Technology Philippines. She is currently serving as a full-time volunteer staffer for her Catholic charismatic community.
JEANNE THERESE HILARIO ANDRES was a youth worker of Christ’s Youth in Action and now a married mom of two. She and her husband are members of The Sword of the Spirit.
BENJ SANTIAGO is involved with keeping families together, & helping achieve financial independence. A member of Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen & Professionals, and Magis Deo Community.
FELY SANTIAGO is a Financial Teacher at International Marketing Group, a
Financial Mentor, Wealth Circle & Truly Rich Club, Bo Sanchez, Inc, and Head, Financial Mentoring Ministry, The Feast Bay Area.
ROSALINDA MARKELL was a Regent of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate of St. Joseph Church,Gagalangin, Tondo. Now residing in the US, was blessed with 5 children & now have 13 grandchildren, & 3 great-grand-children.
PATTY DE LA ROSA-PAAT is the writer for the web's "Ano Yun?" sub-section. She also serves as a catechist in her parish in Laguna, Philippines.
PAM MANZANO is Bachelor of Arts Major in Psychology graduate. She is the only daughter of TA senior member, the late Eliza Manzano and has a son named Piel.
GRACE JAMANDRI - FLORES is a public high school teacher in social studies. She was a parish youth leader and catechist in her younger years.
RENATO C. VIBIESCA
is teaching Literature & Creative Writing at the PUP, Jose Rizal University & St. Paul University in Quezon City. He's also contributing stories for Gospel Komiks and other publications.
THERESA BALLO is a graduate of BS Psychology in UST. She is currently working as a formation staff at the Campus Ministry and Service Office of Xavier School Nuvali.
CRIS BALLA manages a mobile apps and games design and development company. He also writes programs and designs graphics elements. He is the husband of Ana, Faith Section Editor.
MARK RODNEY P. VERTIDO is a teacher who now teaches at Holy Spirit Academy Manila. He is deeply involved in their Diocesan Youth Commission as a volunteer and other youth endeavors.
CARLO ALEXIS MALALUAN is a seminarian for the Diocese of Imus, Cavite. He have earned a degree in Bachelor of Science in Psychology before entering the Seminary. He is one of the facilitators of Online Usapang Bokasyon, an online vocation talk show of the Ministri sa Bokasyon of the Diocese of Imus. During his free time, he would spend reading books and illustrating.
MA. ROSALINA FLORES is a Technical Assistant at the Program Division of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines National Headquarters. She's also a member of the Manila Cathedral's Ministry of Lectors and Commentators.
JESSSA JANELLE PADILLA is a government employee. She is also a member of the Manila Cathedral - Basilica's Ministry of Lectors and Commentators.
JOSE PAULO M. GONZALES is a seminarian. He loves biking, swimming, and checking out new places and awesome sceneries. A lifelong learner and curious navigator, he believes there’s still a lot of wonder in life to be found.
