Biyaya ng Tapat na Paglilingkod

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 26 January 2020
First reading Isaiah 9:1-3

In the former time God brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness-on them light has shined.

You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder.

Second reading                                                          1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17

I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apol’los,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Gospel                                                                          Matthew 4:12-23

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles- the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”

From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea-for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John , in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

Reflection

By Nats Vibiesca

Nang pumutok ang bulkang Taal, naramdaman natin ang desperasyon ng mga apektadong tao na naninirahan malapit sa bulkan at agad namang tumugon ang karamihan sa atin upang maghatid ng tulong sa ating mga kababayan. Bukod sa paglikas at pagtutulungan ng mga Pilipino, kapansin-pansin ang naging problema hanggang sa ngayon ang pagpupumilit na makabalik ng mga tao sa kanilang mga tirahan upang balikan ang kanilang ikinabubuhay-- iyon ang pag-aalaga ng mga hayop tulad ng manok, baboy, kambing, baka at iba pa. At hindi rin napigilan ang pagbabalik ng mga mangingisda sa kanilang pamamalakaya kahit pa mataas ang banta ng muling pagsabog ng bulkan. Hindi natin masisisi ang mga mangingisda o ang iba pang biktima ng mapaminsalang kalikasan na bumalik upang isalba ang mga alagang hayop dahil iyon nga lang talaga ang kanilang inaasahang ikabubuhay at napakahirap talikdan ang nakasanayan nang hanapbuhay lalo pa't wala namang malinaw na kapalit na maaari nilang gawing hanapbuhay.

Ngunit ang mga mangingisda sa Ebanghelyo nang tawagin ni Jesus, (bagama't wala namang banta sa kanilang hanapbuhay) agad na tinalikdan nila ang kanilang nakagisnang hanapbuhay upang sumunod sa Kanya. Ano'ng hiwaga ang pagtawag na iyon at agad na tumalima sila? Laging bumubukal marahil ang grasya ng Diyos sa mga taong tinatawag Niya kaya't nawawala ang anumang alinlangan o agam-agam ng pagtalima sa Kanya. Malinaw ang kapalit na gawain ang ibinigay sa kanila ni Jesus: ang mamalakaya ng tao. Ang bagong gampanin ay ang pagsunod kay Jesus na nakatuon ang mga gawain sa pangangaral ng Mabuting Balita, ang pagpapagaling ng mga may sakit, at ang tapat na paglilingkod sa kapwa.  Ito rin ang laging hamon sa ating lahat -- talikdan ang lumang gawain at sumunod sa bagong misyon na gustong ibigay sa atin ni Jesus.

Subalit ang hamong ito ay hindi lamang paglilingkod upang maging pari, madre o pagsapi sa pagiging relihiyoso, bagkus ay ito para sa ating lahat, anumang ang propesyon sa buhay. Kung minsang tayo'y nakaramdam ng tawag ng Diyos sa pagpapari ngunit nagbago naman kalaunan ang desisyon sa buhay at napunta sa ibang bokasyon, ang grasya ng Diyos ay nananatili upang makatugon tayo sa Kanyang bagong tawag. Sinisikap nating sumunod pa rin kay Jesus bilang mga tapat na Kristiyano at maging mabuting halimbawa sa paglilingkod sa kapwa lalo na sa mga nangangailangan ng tulong.

Prayer

Mahal naming Panginoong Jesus, kami ay laging nakaabang sa grasyang Iyong kaloob tuwing kami'y tinatawag mo upang sumunod sa Iyo. Matimyas na dalangin nami'y ipagkaloob ang bukal ng biyayang magdudulot ng aming tapat na paglilingkod sa Iyo at sa aming kapwa.  Amen.

Dehins Pwedeng Paghiwalayin!

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

07 October 2018

First reading                                                                  Genesis 2:18-24
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.” So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner.
So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken.”
Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Second reading                                                     Hebrews 2:9-11

We see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.

Gospel                                                                     Mark 10:2-12

Some Pharisees came to Jesus, and to test him they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.” But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery too.”

Reflection

By Nats Vibiesca

Sinimulan ang Ebanghelyo sa kayabangan ng mga Pariseo, gusto kasi nilang masilo si Jesus, pero sila ang napahiya, kaya’ t sa dulo ng Magandang Balita ay palalapitin ni Jesus ang mga bata na pinipigilan sana ng mga alagad Niya na makalapit. Malinaw na ang kababaan ng loob ang  paraan upang makalapit tayo sa Diyos tulad ng natural na taglay na kababaang loob ng mga bata; taliwas ito sa gustong patunayan ng mga Pariseo na pagmamataas sa kanilang sarili.

Kapag nilapitan ka nga ng mga bata at nakinig sa kanilang “wisdom", napapahiya tayong mga matatanda. Ang inosente at malinis na konsiyensiyang sangkap ng kababaan ng loob ng mga  bata ang naglalantad ng katigasan ng ulo at kahambugan nating  mga matatanda.

Ang pinag-uusapang diskurso ukol sa kayabangan ng mga Pariseo ay ang bitag nilang paghihiwalay ng mag-asawa ayon sa batas o ang pagkakalooban ng diborsiyo ng mag-asawa. Diretso  naman ang sagot ni Jesus, walang paliguy-ligoy, madaling unawain, kaya’t sila ang lumabas na kahiyahiya; kung batang millenials pa nga ang nagsabi sa kanila sa panahon natin at wika  nila ang gagamitin ay parang ganito: “Nakaka-stress kayo, ha! Pinagsama na nga ang dalawa, hindi na two, beh! One na sila. Gets?  Di pa rin? Slow, ha! Dehins pwedeng paghiwalayin ang petmalung mag-asawa, dahil ang loding Diyos na natin ang gumawa na pagsamahin sila.”

Baka lalong mawindang ang mga Pariseo kung mga batang  millenials mismo ang nagsabi sa kanila. Pero sa totoo lang, maraming batas na nga ang pinatutupad sa iba’t ibang bansa na  pinahihintulutan ang diborsiyo. Kaya’t kaliwa’t kanan ang banat sa Simbahan ngayon dahil mahigpit na tinututulan ito alinsunod  sa Ebanghelyo. Maging sa Pilipinas ay may mga gusto na ring isulong ang diborsiyo. Pero bago pa man ang isyu sa diborsyo, maraming sitwasyon na ang madalas na sumisilo ng relasyon ng mag-asawa upang paghiwalayin sila at tuluyang wasakin ang kanilang pamilya.

Minsan, pinagawa ko ng creative non-fiction ang mga estudiyante ko, malikhaing pagkukuwento ito tungkol sa totoong sarili nilang karanasan kaugnay sa mga isyu sa kanilang  pamilya. Nadurog talaga ang puso ko nang mabasa ang mga  karanasan nila ukol sa paghihirap ng kanilang mga magulang  maisalba lamang ang kanilang pagsasama at manatiling buo ang  pamilya. Tulad ng isang estudiyante kong umiyak pa sa harap ko  dahil hindi na raw niya malaman kung ano pang gagawin sa nagkahiwalay na mga magulang niya.  Nagtatago raw sa probinsiya ang tatay niya dahil itotokhang na raw sa Maynila at hindi nila malaman kung saan na napunta. Ang isa nama’y ginugupo ng sakit na kanser ang ina habang nasa ibang bansa ang kanyang ama dahil naghahanapbuhay bilang OFW.  Nagkahiwalay na nga’t lahat dahil sa paghahanap ng  magandang ikabubuhay pero hindi pa rin pala sapat ang kinikita para lamang madugtungan ang buhay ng kanyang ina. Sa loob-loob ko’y kung fiction lamang sana ang lahat ng kanilang kuwento’y kaydaling masosolusyunan ang mga paghihiwalay ng mga mag-asawa. Sa fiction, ay kaya kong baguhin ang lahat ng kontradiksiyon sa buhay ng mag-asawa. Mapapaganda ko ang  takbo ng kuwento ng kanilang pamilya. Laging happy ending.Sana. Sana’y fiction na nga lang. 

Pero sa totoong buhay, samu’t sari na nga ang dahilan ng hiwalayan ng mga mag-asawa kahit labag sa kalooban nila ito o dala lamang ng mga sitwasyon na hindi rin nila ginusto.  Ano  nga naman ang laban ng mag-asawa kung mananatiling  magkasamang pisikal ngunit wala namang makitang magandang oportunidad para maitaguyod nang marangal ang pamilya? Makikipagsapalaran na nga lang sa ibayong dagat at pipiliting  kahit magkalayo’y magkalapit pa rin ang puso. Subali’t hindi lahat ay pinapalad at nauuwi nga sa wala o masaklap natuluyang paghihiwalay ng mag-asawa at pagkakawatak ng pamilya. Malaon na nga itong suliranin pero wala pa ring malinaw na kasagutan o kongkretong kilos ng pagbabago maging sa pamahalaan man o sa ating mga kababayan na nakaaangat na sa buhay.  Kaya’t siguradong papalalain pa ito ng mga panukalang batas na nagpapahintulot ng diborsiyo at sa dulo ay mauuwi sa pagkasira ng pamilya. 

Muli, balikan natin ang malinaw na solusyon ni Jesus sa lahat ng ito: hindi dapat paghiwalayin ng sinumang tao ang pinag-isa ng  Diyos; magpakumbaba tayong lumapit sa Kanya, tulad ng mga bata, ilatag natin sa Kanya ang matagal na nating pinoproblema sa pamilya, buong pagpapakumbabang idulog natin ang mga  pasanin natin sa buhay mag-asawa, at hayaan nating ang Diyos ang magpuno ng anumang kakulangan sa pamamalakad natin sa  ating pamilya. 

Prayer

Panginoong Ama sa langit, hiling namin ay manahan Ka sa aming pamilya. Patuloy Mo kaming bugkusin sa Iyong pagmamahal, pagpapakumbaba, pang-unawa, pagpapatawad, pagmamalasakit, at grasya. Sa ngalan ni Jesus. Amen.

Work Mode

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time

10 June 2018

First reading                                                                      Genesis 3:9-15, 20
The Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.”
Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.” The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Second reading                                                     2 Corinthians 4:13–5:1

Just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture – “I believed, and so I spoke” – we also believe, and so we speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Gospel                                                                     Mark 3:20-35

Jesus came to the house with his disciples; and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.”

He called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered. Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” – for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

Reflection

By Bernard M. Borja

I have experienced working in a corporation, with a regular 8 hours, 5 days in a week. When I started, the workload seems light. As I grow in the company, my tasks and responsibilites
increased. There were times that I extended my working hours to finish some tasks. I even
brought home some of it just to meet a deadline.

I was raised well enough to know that having a job is very important. My father taught me to
value a job given. He always said that it is a life mission entrusted to us especially when it's
about working for something more valuable.

My father told me stories about his childhood and how he worked hard to support his own
education. It seems his life mission was entrusted to him early, that he grew up having that
principle of working hard for something valuable. I remember during my childhood, he spent
most of his time going to office for work. He always has the strength to work even on extended hours, and still gives time for us to spend with him on a Sunday. He has always inspired me to work hard for my dreams.

But there were times when he was criticized not only by other people in his work, but also by his relatives. People around him were saying that he's working greedily and that his strength is not going to last long. They kept telling him things which can discourage him and bend his
principles. Even us, his family, were trying to convince him to slow down. We were concerned about his health especially when we noticed he is working beyond hours, not being able to give more time for a vacation. But he was determined to go on and keep moving forward. 

I realized that his strength and determination has always been about something he valued most - family. His life mission. One of the greatest things he has been working for all his life.

Jesus worked hard for the Church. He selflessly went beyond His comfort zone especially the time when He went home, but crowds gathered to hear His teachings. People around Him had different concerns and some are just trying to put Him down. Though different from the way the scribes want Jesus to slow down, His family's concern was about Him working beyond what's needed. They asked for Him because they were concerned that He might get physically drained doing His mission (especially when the crowd gathered and it was impossible for Him and His disciples to eat). 

Hard work is what God has been doing ever since the beginning. And He does this, maybe even beyond what is needed, for our greater good. As we are created in His likeness, we too, have inherited this. Being in work mode almost all the time seems easier when we do it for something more valuable especially for our loved ones.

Prayer

Dear Father,
Thank you for giving Your all for us to live life in full. We ask forgiveness for the times we do not value the blessings You have for us. May we learn to value our life mission and do it lovingly for the greater good. Send us Your Spirit and ignite our hearts to work hard and spread Your great love to others. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Can You Identify the Shepherd’s Voice?

Fourth Sunday of Easter 
(Good Shepherd Sunday)

22 April 2018

First reading                                                                       Acts 4:8-12
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead.
This Jesus is ‘the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.”

Second reading                                                        1 John 3:1-2

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what 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 will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.

Gospel                                                                     John 10:11-18

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away-and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.

I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason 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 of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

BIBLE

Reflection

By Gary Tulabut

I have never been a shepherd, literally. In fact, I have not seen a sheep or a herd of sheep closer than probably 100 meters. Of course, being close to lamb chops on a buffet table does not count. So, I really do not know the characteristics of sheep and why Christ compared us to them.

The animals I am familiar with are ducks (because I used to tend our 100 plus ducks when I was a kid), carabao (because we used to have one to help my father in farming), chickens (we also had them in the farm), pigeons (my late uncle raised them), pigs (we used to raise one or two for a year in preparation for big events such as fiestas), cats, and, of course, dogs. 

All these animals, when domesticated or raised in farms are tamed once they get familiarized with whoever is handling or raising them. That is when they can identify the smell, the looks, sometimes the tools (like a basin or pale when I feed those ducks), and especially the voice of their masters. Well, I sometimes doubt that with cats except when they’re hungry. 

When my ducks see me holding a pale of darak (rice bran), they start following me. A simple “kruk-tik-tik-tik” sound gets the chicken excited and they knew food was coming. And dogs, we know how excited they can be when their best friend arrives. But by experience, I believe dogs’s senses of sight and hearing are better than their sense of smell. Because when  I come home, my dog barked until either I called its name or I showed up.

Christ compared us to sheep. According to a priest’s homily I heard long ago, the sheep is a dumb animal. But even as dumb as it is, just like the other animals I talked about, it can identify its shepherd’s voice. 

“I know mine and mine know me” says the Lord in today's Gospel. How do we know it is the voice of the Good Shepherd that is calling us? How do we know it is not the voice of the world? Much worse, the voice of the evil one?

Whenever we can identify a temptation as a temptation, we should know that we have not yet fallen astray because another voice is calling. That is a good thing because we are still familiar with the voice of our Shepherd. But when we cannot identify a temptation as a temptation anymore, maybe because it is done by everyone else, for example, then we forgot the voice of the Shepherd.

We need to be familiar with His voice. He has given us the tools to do so. Start with reading the Bible. Read more Catholic materials. Attend Catholic events and seminars. Frequently go to Mass, not only on Sundays. Receive applicable sacraments. Go to retreats. Be a member of a fellowship communities such as Couples for Christ, Singles for Christ, Light of Jesus and the like. These groups will lead us back to the flock whenever we are about to get lost.

At least, unlike the sheep, we can do something to make sure we do not forget the voice of the Good Shepherd.

Prayer

Lord, You died for us while we are still as stubborn as sheep. You gave Your life for us, Your sheep to bring us back to Your herd. Lead us to things that will make us know You more and be familiar with Your voice. And may everything we do glorify You. Amen.

Grounded

Saint Joseph
Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary 

19 March 2018

First reading                                                                        2 Samuel 7:4-5,12-14,16
The word of the Lord came to Nathan:

  ‘Go and tell my servant David, “Thus the Lord speaks: “When your days are ended and you are laid to rest with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you and make his sovereignty secure. (It is he who shall build a house for my name, and I will make his royal throne secure for ever.) I will be a father to him and he a son to me; if he does evil, I will punish him with the rod such as men use, with strokes such as mankind gives. Yet I will not withdraw my favour from him, as I withdrew it from your predecessor. Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for ever.”’

Second reading                                                         Romans 4:13,16-18,22

The promise of inheriting the world was not made to Abraham and his descendants on account of any law but on account of the righteousness which consists in faith. That is why what fulfils the promise depends on faith, so that it may be a free gift and be available to all of Abraham’s descendants, not only those who belong to the Law but also those who belong to the faith of Abraham who is the father of all of us. As scripture says: I have made you the ancestor of many nations – Abraham is our father in the eyes of God, in whom he put his faith, and who brings the dead to life and calls into being what does not exist.

  Though it seemed Abraham’s hope could not be fulfilled, he hoped and he believed, and through doing so he did become the father of many nations exactly as he had been promised: Your descendants will be as many as the stars. This is the faith that was ‘considered as justifying him.’

Gospel                                                                     Luke 2:41-51a

Every year the parents of Jesus used to go to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up for the feast as usual. When they were on their way home after the feast, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents knowing it. They assumed he was with the caravan, and it was only after a day’s journey that they went to look for him among their relations and acquaintances. When they failed to find him they went back to Jerusalem looking for him everywhere.
  Three days later, they found him in the Temple, sitting among the doctors, listening to them, and asking them questions; and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies. They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him, ‘My child, why have, you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you.’
  ‘Why were you looking for me?’ he replied. ‘Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father’s affairs?’ But they did not understand what he meant.
  He then went down with them and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority.

Reflection

By Pietro S. Albano

Opposition does not only happen outside the home. I note how the young Thomas Aquinas' decision to become a Dominican was met with strong opposition by his family. They were pining for him to be a Benedictine because his uncle Sinibald was abbot of the local Benedictine abbey at that time. While drinking from a spring on his way to Rome, his brothers captured and imprisoned him for a year in their parents' castle. Such 'house arrest', the family hoped, would dissuade Thomas from joining the mendicant order. So much was their desperation that two brothers even hired a prostitute. Story has it that Thomas drove the woman away holding a fiery iron. Eventually, they yielded to Thomas' plan.

In today's Gospel, Joseph and Mary were making sense of the young Jesus' decision to stay behind to be up and about in His Father's affairs. Although they know their son and His future mission, His action at a tender age came as a shock. I guess this has been a common experience among parents. My mother was totally supportive of my active involvement in church during my teenage years. However, she started to notice how frequently I have been coming home very late at night (or very early in the morning). One time she had had enough. She warned me that if I do it again, she will tell me to my father.  While I got a verbal warning, some of my confreres were either subjected to curfew or grounded by their parents. We all learned our lesson and became conscious of their concern, of striking a balance between study, apostolate, and home. Eventually, our parents understood our involvement in church.

Like St Joseph let us strive to remain grounded in God's grace so that we may become more supportive and understanding of our youth who, like the young Jesus, are slowly discovering the purpose of their life. Let us also entrust the youth to St Joseph's care that they too may imitate Jesus whose obedience made Him truly grounded, i.e. sensible, realistic, unpretentious.


Prayer
Heavenly Father, You call each of us to a particular vocation. Through the intercession of St Joseph, open our hearts to respond to You and to be an inspiration to others, especially our young people. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Who is Jesus For You?

21st Sunday In Ordinary Time 
28 August 2017

First reading

Isaiah 22:19-23

Thus says the Lord of Hosts to Shebna, the master of the palace:

I dismiss you from your office,

I remove you from your post,

and the same day I call on my servant

Eliakim son of Hilkiah.

I invest him with your robe,

gird him with your sash,

entrust him with your authority;

and he shall be a father

to the inhabitants of Jerusalem

and to the House of Judah.

I place the key of the House of David

on his shoulder;

should he open, no one shall close,

should he close, no one shall open.

I drive him like a peg

into a firm place;

he will become a throne of glory

for his father’s house.

---

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 137(138):1-3,6,8

                

Second reading

Romans 11:33-36

How rich are the depths of God – how deep his wisdom and knowledge – and how impossible to penetrate his motives or understand his methods! Who could ever know the mind of the Lord? Who could ever be his counsellor? Who could ever give him anything or lend him anything? All that exists comes from him; all is by him and for him. To him be glory for ever! Amen.

---

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,
and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel

Matthew 16:13-20

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said, ‘the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’ Then he gave the disciples strict orders not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

Reflection

by Theresa Ballo

If you are one of the disciples surrounding Jesus when He asked, who am I for you? What will your answer be like? This, I think, was a very personal question for all of us and a relative one. Our answers may vary as we grow older and get a few experiences in life. In today’s Gospel reading, Peter receives the most significant call to a vocation, the keys to the kingdom and the leader of the Church. Since he had spent time with Jesus, his was a remark of faith and witnessing. He knows Jesus from the inside, knowing who He really is with the knowledge of the heart.

The joy of being called to service can be seen in the Gospel. Peter spent his life pursuing a much different path before receiving Jesus’ initial call to become His disciple. He could have continued his trade as a fisherman and raised sons or apprentices. Yet, God had other plans for Peter, though. He had been given necessary gifts with which to accomplish it through the Holy Spirit. It could be possible that the Lord put that in Peter’s heart and inspired him to confess it out loud. Peter discovered his vocation and has given affirmation. In spite of that, he is not perfect, like anyone of us. Out of fear he denied Jesus three times and then hid in shame when he realized what he had done. But through Pentecost, the Holy Spirit provided him the charisms necessary to complete his mission within the Church.  


So it goes with all of us, whatever our vocation happens to be. We will all make mistakes along the way. We will get tired, feel upset, and lose track in fulfilling it. We have to trust that the Lord calls us to a particular vocation in life. To determine what that might be for each of us, we must discern through prayer and action. For some, including me, it may mean exploring a path that we may never end up completing. That it all just happened for a detour so we can find the road which Jesus had prepared for us all along. It takes a lot of patience and prayer for all of us. Our vocation may not be as intense as Peter’s, but we all have to remember, that there is no vocation that is too small nor unimportant. It may mean as simple as leaving one person happier or worthy of love – that I think who Jesus is for me. He always makes me feel worthy of love and forgiveness. A minute with Him is a time to feel secured and happy, enough to refill my love tank, and give to others all that overflows.

Prayer

Almighty Father, we thank You for the gift of our vocation. Thank You for giving us purpose to live and take part in Your mission. Give us strength and peace as we journey towards fulfilling and completing our tasks. May everything that we do be for Your glory and not ours. This we pray in Jesus' most Holy name and with the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary. Amen.  

Love

 

Fifth Sunday of Easter

17 April 2016  

First reading
Acts 14:21-27

Paul and Barnabas went back through Lystra and Iconium to Antioch. They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith. ‘We all have to experience many hardships’ they said ‘before we enter the kingdom of God.’ In each of these churches they appointed elders, and with prayer and fasting they commended them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.

  They passed through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. Then after proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia and from there sailed for Antioch, where they had originally been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.

  On their arrival they assembled the church and gave an account of all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the pagans.

 

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 144:8-13

Second reading
Apocalypse 21:1-5

I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared now, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, and the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, as beautiful as a bride all dressed for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice call from the throne, ‘You see this city? Here God lives among men. He will make his home among them; they shall be his people, and he will be their God; his name is God-with-them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness. The world of the past has gone.’

  Then the One sitting on the throne spoke: ‘Now I am making the whole of creation new.’

 

Gospel	John 13:31-33,34-35

When Judas had gone Jesus said:

‘Now has the Son of Man been glorified,

and in him God has been glorified.

If God has been glorified in him,

God will in turn glorify him in himself,

and will glorify him very soon.

‘My little children,

I shall not be with you much longer.

I give you a new commandment:

love one another;

just as I have loved you,

you also must love one another.

By this love you have for one another,

everyone will know that you are my disciples.’

  Reflection
By Fely C. Santiago

“I give you a new commandment: love one another”

 

It is always easy to say “I love you” but doing what Jesus did when He died on the cross for His great love for all of us, will never be easy. That is why we live in a troubled world because true love is really not there. Most people including myself find it hard to “die to myself” because of love. But everyday we can always try. For Jesus said, “for man it is difficult, but with God nothing is impossible.”

 

The world needs love. Our country needs love. I just pray that with the coming election getting nearer we may learn to really love one another and not keep pulling each other down. I pray that all the candidates running for election are there because of their love to serve our country and the people and not to be served, or because of selfish interests. And as people, may we learn to vote with prayers that God will lead us to the right persons who can lead this country and bring us even closer to God. And after the election, may we learn to accept those elected to serve and move on with love in our hearts.

 

The next challenge with love is also to stay in love - the decision to love, the commitment to love.

 

“But the most significant part of love is found not in the initial attraction but in the commitment afterwards: the commitment of spouses to one another; the commitment to a community despite the imperfection and humanity of its members; or the commitment to friendships when there are rocky parts on the path, and the initial attraction has somewhat waned. If love is the “effective willing of the good of another,” though, as Thomas Aquinas argued, then love has much more to do with the staying power of love than its first glimmer.”- See more at: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/23515/stay-in-love#sthash.eYc0HzSQ.dpuf

 

Since we are all human, we have all our imperfections and weaknesses the challenge to stay in love is there. That is where the decision to love comes in especially for married couples who are the foundation of the families. That is where acceptance, humility, understanding comes in. That is where the grace of God is greatly needed so married couples and families can stay in love despite of…

 

Love. Give. Live. Let the purpose of anything we do be LOVE….

  Prayer  

God of Easter Joy, in these weeks after Your resurrection, I long to be in Your protective care. Give me the courage to allow You into my life to let you love me - so I can remain in You. As I pray with the image of the vine and the branch, I know I want to hold tightly to You and grow in love with You. With the guidance of Your Holy Spirit, give me the consolation of being fruitful so I can spread the joy of Your gospel to all those around me. May the Lord bless us, 
protect us from all evil 
and bring us to everlasting life. 
Amen.