Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Author: A Dose of God Today

  • God is Generous

    God is Generous

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    September 20, 2020 – 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092020.cfm)

    Homily

    To seek recognition, affirmation and praise are all part of growing up. We see this among our children as they always try to get the attention of their parents or among the adults around them. Children have their own way of getting attention. However, when parents become indifferent to this need of a child, this could leave a hallow and painful part in the life of a child. Thus, when the child becomes an adult, he or she  would most probably continue seeking recognition and affirmation from people around in order to satisfy that need which the person did not receive from home.

    We could be this person who continually seek to be recognized, affirmed and praised. There is nothing wrong with this need. However, this could also lead us to become bitter, unsatisfied and envious of others despite the talents we have developed or despite the success we have achieved. We would tend to accumulate more and demand for more praises and affirmations to the point of becoming indifferent towards the needs of others.

    The tendency to accumulate more praises and demand for greater reward because of the good qualities we have can only poison our hearts and relationships. This tendency makes our heart unwelcoming to others who need more than us.

    This attitude was what the Pharisees showed at the time of Jesus. They believed that their superiority made them deserving of all God’s goodness and graces. They cannot accept the teaching of Jesus that others could also experience the goodness of God. They despised Jesus for offering God’s forgiveness and gift of healing to the poor, the sick, and sinners. They despised Him because they believed that God’s grace was reserved for them alone.

    This is what we find in the Gospel. It teaches us how God treats all of us, showing concern and compassion.

    This parable speaks of the generosity of the landowner towards the workers. The first ones who were hired on that day felt jealous with those who were hired at the last hour. The first ones worked the whole day and the last ones worked only for an hour. But then, they all received the same wage according to the agreed wage for that whole day work.

    The first ones were disappointed because they thought that those who only worked for an hour did not deserve for that wage. Since they worked hard, they should be above them and those who worked less should not be treated like them. But then, for the landowner, if he will not give the usual wage for those who were hired last then the food that they will bring for their families will not be enough. They will still starve on that day. It means that the parable actually is not about labor issues but of God’s generosity to each of us.

    Indeed, this is what we always believed that when we are more gifted than the others, more intelligent, more educated and so the more we feel entitled, and seeking to have more; and those who are lesser than us, should have less. When we feel that we are more religious, going to church and saying the rosary daily, we might think that we are far better than those who don’t go to church and do not pray. When we feel that our educational achievements, our status in the community, or our material possessions make us higher in dignity than others, then, we might believe that we can just ignore those whom we think as lesser than us, and become indifferent with those who do not belong to our class.

    Unconsciously, we also become like the Pharisees who did not have the sympathy for those who were struggling in life. The poor, the sick and the weak sinners at the time of Jesus can be today’s young people who have been addicted to drugs, to alcohol, to gambling or any addiction not because they are bad but because of family problems, broken relationships and low self- esteem. They can also be our friends or family members whom we continually bully because they are weaklings, untalented and less intelligent than us. They can be people working for us or those who are around us and doing menial jobs just because they did not have much opportunities like you to uplift their life.

    But remember, God relates to us not merely because of the effort that we did but because of “who we are” to Him. God is good to us not because we are deserving but because God is so good and generous. We are all loved by him no matter what, no matter how big our failures were, no matter how serious our sins are.

    Thus, for those who have worked hard, for those who have been so faithful to God, this gospel is not meant to discourage you for working hard, for doing your daily devotion but this is meant for us to know that God is generous also towards those who are less fortunate. And we have the role to lift up those who are less fortunate in this life. For those of us who felt that we are lesser beings, felt unworthy because of our mistakes, failures and sins – this Gospel is truly good news for us because God tells us today that we too are blessed because we are loved. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • Work FOR What?

    Work FOR What?

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    September 20, 2020 – 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092020.cfm)

    Homily

    Don’t know if we hear it right. Jesus’ parable today tells us of an owner who paid the same amount of wages to laborers who came first and last. Do you think the owner has been just and fair? Has he paid for what we call today just-wage for an honest day’s work? And Jesus even ends the gospel with a completely non-sense statement: “the last will be first, and the first will be last” simply because for us the first is first, and the last should be last.

    For us today, paying same amount to first and last simply doesn’t seem to be just and fair. Maybe our gospel today is one of those written in the Scripture which is good to hear, but doesn’t make sense, so we don’t bother to follow. This is because we nowadays follow a very different work ethics. First, we always think that there should be seniority in workplace – those who are more senior, experienced, talented should deserve and enjoy more privileges than those who are young, inexperienced and still learning laborers. Second, the more you work the more salary or wage you deserve than those who have less work. That is why we think that our parable today is not fair because we usually connect wage, salary, reward and payment with work…. and work with wage, salary, rewards and privileges. We usually equate work for the money, wage or reward. Everything has its prize. Nothing is free anymore. If you don’t work, you don’t earn. No work, no pay. No pay, no work. And if what you do is not considered as work or labor – like the work of a mother at home – you are  not and should not be paid either.

    This is what Jesus is trying to teach us today in our gospel. Work is not necessarily and always connected with wage or money. Work is more than just receiving or deserving a just payment or wage. There is more value in our human work and labor than just earning money or wage for it. To equate and limit work with wage undermines the dignity of work of God and man. Take for example, the work of mother at home, the work of a priest, a teacher to educate, a doctor to heal, a farmer, a fisherman, and a public servant. Deep inside, we know that the work we do is more than just the wage we receive because we dignify our human labor as our vocation and mission in participation with God’s work.

    Although our capitalistic and consumeristic world today promotes otherwise, Jesus reminds us that human labor is dignified – it is our participation and contribution in God’s work for our redemption and salvation. Perhaps we better reexamine our work ethics – are we in for the money or for the betterment of human world? One thing for sure, in doing God’s work or working with Jesus, there is no seniority, no privileges, no prizes, bonus and rewards, no early comers or latecomers, no DTR – daily time record. But everyone receives equally more than what each of us deserved, for what we receives is not Salary or Wage but God’s overflowing Gift and grace of His Redemption and Love, coming out of His generosity.

    Jesus reveals us here the Generous nature of our God and Father whose thoughts and ways are beyond ours. He is a God we are to discover in our daily work with Him, and not in our thoughts and ways. Ours is a Generous God who always provides us with much graces and blessings we need, and through our dignified work we participate and contribute in His work of blessing us all always. God indeed works in His own unique work-ethics – different and beyond our own.

    Which reminds of a story about a bishop who went for a surprised visit to a newly-built chapel “kapilya”. While appreciating the kapilya, a little girl of ten came and asked the bishop: “How do you like our new kapilya?”. The bishop replied, “It’s very nice.” The girl then said, “You know what? I am part of its construction.” Surprised the bishop asked: “How could you?” The girl proudly responded: “When my father, the head carpenter built this kapilya, I brought him “Lunch”. So I’m part of its construction.

    Perhaps we learn something from the work-ethics of the girl. In building God’s Kingdom, Are we part of the construction and harvest, OR are we just hired-paid laborers? Regardless what, when – be it first or last, senior or neophytes, or where we work – be office or home, we better ask ourselves what are we working FOR?

    Pandemic times have rendered a number of people to lose their own jobs and careers. Difficult it may be, perhaps this can also be ample time for all of us to review our work-ethics, reevaluate our present jobs, and reconsider some career-shifts that would improve & be more in line with one’s own life-vocation & mission.

    Grant us, O Lord the grace to discern Your will for us now as we take part in Your better plan always for our best. Amen.

    By  Fr. Aphelie Mario Masangcay, CSsR (a former Filipino Redemptorist Missionary for Filipino Migrants in South Korea who, due to immune compromised diabetic condition, stationed back home  in the Philippines for now).

  • Working with Jesus

    Working with Jesus

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    September 18, 2020 – Friday of the 24th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091820.cfm)

    Homily

    In today’s Gospel, we are reminded that in the ministry of Jesus, the 12 men disciples were not the only ones who were part of the mission. There were “many others” who were with the Lord and played important roles. They were the women who were always with Jesus who like the 12 disciples, were also disciples themselves.

    The Gospels did not mention that they too preached, but they played significant contribution in the ministry of Jesus, in his travels and in his preaching and healing. These generous women supported Jesus through the use of their resources.

    Why follow Jesus? Why support him in his ministry? Each of them had their own stories with Jesus, stories of conversion and renewal, stories from brokenness to healing, from death to life. Each of them must have this real encounter with the person of Jesus. That encounter must have brought a total change in their life and in the way they were responding to life.

    The Gospel of Luke itself tells us that some of them were cured from spiritual and/or physical illness. The experience of healing made them recognize God in Jesus. That experience too moved them to follow the Lord to know him more and to become more like him.

    Surely, there are lessons that we can learn from the women who worked with Jesus in his ministry.[1] And they are…

    1. Responding in gratitude. The women responded with gratitude to Jesus because of the life-changing grace they experienced through him. God surely worked miracles in our life too. Recognize those graces of events and experiences when God made manifest in your life and respond in gratitude to the Lord.

    2. Using one’s talents, capacities and resources to continue the work of Jesus. As the women responded in gratitude, they used their own talents and capacities and including their material resources to support Jesus in his ministry. Never shy and never hesitate also to share what you have to the Lord. Share generously to the Church and to the communities where the work of Jesus is being continued. You yourself also can do that by volunteering or making yourself available in the Church’s many apostolate especially in this time of pandemic. Use your expertise where you are good at and offer them to the Lord.

    3. Making the opportunity of giving by being close to Jesus. The women grabbed that opportunity of giving themselves and their resources so that they will be able to stay close to Jesus. Like the men, they walked with Jesus on the road, they gathered around him while eating, they listened with the people. With this, they learned and knew more about Jesus, about his person, his teaching and his ways. Day by day, they became like Jesus. Make every opportunity in serving the Lord to be your way of being close with Jesus too. The sacraments, the Holy Scriptures and your personal prayers are ways to learn more about Jesus and to become more like him.

    4. Staying with Jesus till the end. The women were the faithful companions and friends of Jesus. When Jesus was arrested, carried his cross, died, and buried in the tomb, these women were always with Jesus. While the men disciples were in hiding, the women attended the dead Jesus. In pain and sorrow, they were with the Lord. Thus, they too were the first ones to witness the glory of the resurrection of Jesus. Hence, as we learn to become like Jesus, stay close with him too. Stay close with those who are in sorrow and in pain in many aspects of their life. By doing that, we also become the presence of Jesus in the lives of others who will bring assurance and confidence through our friendship.

    Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

    [1] Inspiration from https://www.ncfgiving.com/stories/4-lessons-from-the-women-who-followed-jesus-from-galilee/

  • Power of Asking Forgiveness

    Power of Asking Forgiveness

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    September 17, 2020 – Thursday of the 24th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091720.cfm)

    Homily

    Why do we come for confession? Why do we seek forgiveness of our sins?

    Many of us today have doubts or have taken for granted the Sacrament of Reconciliation thinking that it does not need for one to confess his or her sins to a priest. Our basic catechism teaches us that the ordained priests are given authority to forgive sins in behalf of the whole church and as God’s representative to his people. It is not the priest that forgives but God. The church listens to the confession of a penitent through the person of the priest. The priest does not give judgement and condemnation but delivers the mercy of God to those who seek for it.

    Indeed, there is wisdom and power behind recognizing one’s imperfections and sins. The recognition of sins is not just be limited within personal realization keep within the self. It only becomes a true realization when sins are confessed to somebody, letting another person know about our sins. The priest in this case represents the church for the person who realizes his or her sins.

    Once we recognize our sinfulness then it is also God’s opportunity to change our lives and to make us new again. “Recognition and confession of sins” is our humble way of acknowledging that we need mercy and forgiveness, thus, we need God.

    The opposite of this is the denial of ones sins and imperfections. Thus, denial of our need of God and denial of our need of mercy and forgiveness. This happens to us when we have grown righteous. When we begin to think that we have committed no sins, then, we think of ourselves highly to the point of making ourselves above others whom we think as lesser than us.

    This is the story that we have heard in today’s Gospel. The woman who knelt before Jesus represented those who recognized their need of forgiveness. On the other hand, the Pharisee who invited Jesus represented those who do not need forgiveness because they believe that they do not need God.

    Let us see these two personalities to clearly discern God’s invitation for us today.

    The woman who was known to be a public sinner was despised by that Pharisee. He would not even dare talking to her because of fear of being contaminated by her sins. That is why, he felt disgusted with Jesus who allowed this woman to wash his feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. The woman’s actions were her humble way of recognizing that she was in need of God’s mercy. Despite her sins and the shame that she was bearing, she took the risk to go in public to ask Jesus forgiveness.

    And because the Pharisee thought of himself so highly, never thought that he too was in need of mercy. This attitude of the Pharisee made him condemning of the woman. He was indifferent towards her and saw no hope in her. This will also happen to us when we become righteous and think that we do not need mercy from God. We become persons who easily condemn others. We become persons who do not see hope with those who have failed in their life. We become angry persons and bitter towards others.

    However, Jesus invites us to learn from her. She who recognized her sinfulness, allowed Jesus to transform her life. Her actions towards Jesus was her expression of her affection and at the same time of her need of forgiveness, Jesus who is the face of the Father’s mercy, willingly granted her forgiveness.

    When we become persons who recognize our failures and sins, we become persons who also see hope and life. We become persons who become positive with life and at the same time positive with others. We become happy persons.

    This is what Jesus wants us because recognition and forgiveness of sins allows us to unburden ourselves from guilt. This will also allow God to work in us.

    Thus, do not be afraid of acknowledging ones failures because God always sees hope in us, God does not condemn but grants his mercy and forgiveness to us so that we shall live in peace, freedom and joy. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • To live brings out pain, yet it bears fruit joy

    To live brings out pain, yet it bears fruit joy

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    September 15, 2020 – Tuesday; Feast of the Our Lady of Sorrow

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091520.cfm)

    Homily

    To experience pain in life can become devastating and even maddening. Having a toothache can completely destroy your day. Having a headache can affect your daily activities. Indeed, when pain becomes unbearable and frustrating, it affects our daily routine and activities, our work, even our sleep and relationship with friends and family.

    Who would really want to be in pain? As much as possible, we avoid pain. Consequently, the medical science developed pain relievers that would take away slowly or instantly the aches and pains we feel in our body. In fact, a particular field among doctors has been developed to assist patients who will undergo surgeries through the use of anesthesia. Through its use, the patient will have a painless surgery so that he or she will be able to have a quality life.

    However, no remedy can be given to a heart that is bruised, abused, betrayed and/or humiliated. No doctor can apply anesthesia to a deep emotional pain. It can even linger and deepen with time. For such reason, some would succumb to it without any help from others and end their life. They see it as the only remedy to end that deep emotional pain they have been enduring in their life.

    This is the sad part because pain will really be unbearable and life-threatening when it is faced alone. Today, as we celebrate the Feast of Mary, the Our Lady of Sorrows, we are reminded that pain in itself is all part of our life. No one can escape pain. Everybody will surely meet pain in different degrees and aspects of life. And what this feast is reminding us now is the wonder and the beauty in confronting and carrying pain with others.

    Let us remind ourselves at the prophecy of the old Simeon. This old man had been waiting for the appearance of the Christ. When the baby Jesus was brought by the couple, Joseph and Mary to the Temple, behold, Simeon had caught sight of Light, the salvation of the world. However, this child will be responsible for the rise and fall of many in Israel. What he meant, was the rising of the humble, the poor and those marginalized by the society into the heart of God and the fall of the powerful, the self-righteous and the corrupt. For this reason, the infant will be a contradiction. The child will bring change and transformation to all that can be painful to those who seek comfort and power, titles and riches.

    Being a contradiction to the world, the child himself will undergo a terrible pain of betrayal, of dying and of death in which no amount of pain relief medicine or anesthesia can aid. Moreover, the same amount of pain was also given to the mother of the child, to Mary. As Simeon prophesied, “you yourself a sword will pierce.” Mary’s heart will be pierced with so much sorrow and pain as she suffered with her son.

    Every blow to Jesus, Mary also endured. Every insult to her Son, Mary also suffered. And every agony of Jesus, Mary also agonized. However, despite all these gruesome and painful events in the life of Mary, she did not hide. Mary did not escape into dreams. She did not ran away into loneliness and depression. Mary bravely confronted pain by being with her Son, by journeying with him until his last breath.

    Why is that? When people would hide and ran away from pain as what the men disciples did, but, Mary bravely faced that sword piercing in her heart and suffered in silence along with her Son. What gave her the courage? What made her to stand beside her Son and her Lord?

    It was love that sustained Mary. It was her deep concern and affection to the person whom she loved that moved her to be with Jesus and to also suffer with him. And to the suffering Son on the cross, the presence of her mother was the best comfort he had. The presence of Mary was more powerful than any pain reliever or any amount of anesthesia applied to the dying Son. Though, Mary’s presence did not take away the pain, but her presence made Jesus to be more resolved that there is hope in humanity.

    Mary’s presence on the cross is a testament to God that humanity can show so much concern and love to a suffering person. That’s why pain is never the end, suffering is never the last thing in life. The glory of the resurrection of Jesus tells us of that freedom from pain and promise of joy. We can attain that, by being together, by not suffering alone, but by allowing others to suffer with us or by allowing ourselves to suffer with others. Certainly, to live life will bring pain in us, but it will also bears fruit joy because of being with our friends and loved ones.

    Thus, on this feast of Mary, we are also called to be an instrument like Mary, to give comfort to those who are suffering and in pain in many ways, physically, spiritually or emotionally. Let our presence be an assurance of friendship, of love and concern to those who are in terrible pain this moment. For those who are in pain also, never retreat, deny or hide the pain or escape from pain, but allow others to journey with you. Allow those who love you to hold you and to embrace you. They may not take away the pain you are feeling, but let their presence, friendship and love be your source of comfort and confidence in your trying moments.

    May Mary, the Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR