Do you have friends who speaks bluntly and tactlessly to you? Are they not annoying sometimes? Oh, yes, they do. My friends would feel that towards me. But I am more tactless than blunt.
However, our young man here, Gideon, is plainly honest, blunt and also tactless. Gideon was not used to flattery and flowery words that only seek recognition and praise. He was never after that. He speaks his mind and expresses himself even if reality would surely offend the person.
Thus, when the angel of the Lord greeted him, “The Lord be with you, you mighty warrior.”
“What? What did you say? How could you say that the Lord is with us, when we are suffering?” that was the unashamed reply of Gideon to the angel. If I was that angel, I would be taken aback at his words!
Gideon freely expressed himself, of what he thought about particularly of the present context, of the reality he was in. The people were oppressed. They were forced to worship alien gods. They were made slaves to the Medians. All of this, Gideon brought to the angel who said to him, The Lord is with you!
However, God was never offended by this blunt and seemingly tactless expressions of Gideon. God was even delighted by this because Gideon was honest and was aware of the present reality. He was not sugar-coating or making flattery words.
As young people, the Lord invites us also to stand and speak like Gideon not to fear because the Lord is truly with us. Thus, recognize your present reality not just the reality within yourself but recognize the reality that surrounds you. Speak up and stand like Gideon. Do not remain silent in the midst of injustice and oppression! As young persons, the Lord calls us too in our own capacity.
NOVEMBER 6, 2019 – WEDNESDAY 31ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans (13:8-10)
Brothers and sisters: Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet, and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (14:25-33)
Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”
Homily
Hating one’s family member, a parent or a sibling, seems so harsh for us today. However, Jesus, in our Gospel today, actually means something deeper.
When our relationship with Jesus becomes more serious and deeper, Jesus also occupies more space in our life. It only means that Jesus has become the center of our relationship. Having this kind of relationship with Jesus, in which each of us is called, is also invited to make our relationship with God as the motivating factor of our other relationships.
This means that God asks us to make Him as our priority over our other priorities. And what is more beautiful here is God’s invitation for us to make our relationship with Him as the “life and soul” of our human relationships. It is from our relationship with God that, hopefully, we will become responsible and generous persons especially as we relate with others as a parent, sibling, a child, a friend or as a professional or whatever work you have or status.
This is what St Paul affirmed in his letter to the Romans,
“owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another.”
Having that confidence in God that we are loved, assures us of our other relationships. Being loved then, enables us to love others. Thus, it is also very important to have that confidence with God because our human relationships may fail us sometimes, and our human love may show selfishness and cause us pain and hurts.
Consequently, Jesus invites us to carry the crosses present in the many relationships that we have. It would be very good that we acknowledge and embrace our crosses. It is when we are able to acknowledge and embrace our crosses that we will also be able to befriend our crosses. Befriending our crosses helps us to carry them with gladness and peace because if we are not able to befriend them, then, we will be carrying them with bitterness and anger.
These crosses could be our own emotional limitations, physical disabilities and health issues, family problems and conflicts, and other concerns that may drain and bring us down in our relationships. Yet, in carrying our crosses, whatever that may be, the Lord assures us that we will never be alone. We will not be carrying our crosses alone. The Lord promises us today that He too will be with us and will be carrying too our crosses.
This is the beauty of Christian discipleship because it gives us the confidence of being with God. God, after all, is ever faithful to us. Hence, when we are able to make God as our main priority and the center of our relationships, God transforms us and our relationships according to His wisdom. Hinaut pa.
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (19:1-10)
At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”
Homily
Have you been a victim of bullying and of rejection?
To be bullied or to be rejected could create a deep emotional wound in us. Because of being helpless, we could not protect ourselves from people who hurt us emotionally such as bullying and rejection at school, in our neighborhood or even at home. As a result, we do not only begin to hate those people who were bullying and rejecting us, but we also hate ourselves for being who we are. We hate ourselves because of the imperfection that people find in us.
Thus, we also begin to think that if only we are not like this, then, people might accept us and love us. This consciousness begins to develop in us until we become a person whom we are not, just for the reason of being accepted, recognized, respected and loved by people around us.
Take for example of the story of Zacchaeus. This man was surely a victim of terrible bullying and rejection. St Luke described Zacchaeus as short in stature and a wealthy tax collector. His fellows Jews hated him for being a tax collector and someone who was affiliated with the Romans. Remember, at that time, Israel was under the a foreign invader, the Roman Empire who imposed tax on them.
However, we could also ask, how Zacchaeus, a Jew, ended to the side of the Romans, working for them as a tax collector. We could actually imagine the life of Zacchaeus. Thus, being short in height, Zacchaeus as a young boy must have been a subject of bullying. Even until now, among our friends we actually make fun of people who are short or those people who do not belong to the standard of the majority like those who are too tall or too dark, etc.
Because of the physical limitation of Zacchaeus, people looked down on him. It must have been so terrible for Zacchaeus to be bullied publicly and to be hurt emotionally. Zacchaeus must have felt the pain of rejection and disrespect towards him as a person. However, he was helpless against those playmates and other people who had bullied him.
That emotional pain in him must have created a deep emptiness also within him. Thus, being bullied and rejected, Zacchaeus was in search of respect, of acceptance and of affirmation. But then, he could not gain those by just being who he was because people disrespected him for being who he was. Zacchaeus needed a way of getting his revenge. He won’t be able to get what he wanted if he would remain helpless and meek. He needed power and wealth to make those people who have bullied and rejected him to bow down to him.
Zacchaeus grabbed the opportunity the Roman Empire could offer him. The Romans were feared, though hated by the Jews, but were forced to show their respect. People had to bow down to the powerful Romans. Thus, Zacchaeus made himself available in the service of the Romans. This was how Zacchaeus got his revenge against his fellow Jews. He became the chief tax collector and becoming one also meant becoming powerful and wealthy.
Now, Zacchaeus was above those who have bullied him. Zacchaeus could now play the bully himself. As a chief tax collector, he could get his revenge by raising the tax against those people whom he also despised. Because of this, people would now please him, affirm him, and show their respect to him because he had power over them.
Perhaps, Zacchaeus would love to see the faces of those who have abused him emotionally to beg for mercy. He could now demand what he needed and force the people to accept him and pay respect to him.
However, Zacchaeus was never peaceful. He was always restless. At the beginning, this was not what he wanted but because of those pain of rejection and emotional wound, he turned out to be corrupt and a monster in the eyes of the people.
In the depths of his heart, what he wanted was complete acceptance from people which he never experienced. But then, he heard about this man Jesus. Jesus was a miracle worker, a famous preacher who healed the sick, raise the dead and forgave sinners. St. Luke described to us how Zacchaeus became curious about Jesus. This curiosity actually showed the desire of a human heart to see and encounter God. Yet, we are also confronted by the fact that it is the Lord first who tenderly seeks for us.
However, because of the limitations Zacchaeus had, not just his physical limitation of being a short man but also because of his hardened heart, his emotional wounds, his corrupt practices and insecurities, these prevented to him see the Lord. But, these limitations of Zacchaeus did not discourage him to seek further the Lord. What Zacchaeus did was to ran ahead and climbed a tree that he may see Jesus. And truly, Zacchaeus saw the Lord. And Jesus saw him and called him.
For the very first time in the life of Zacchaeus, he felt accepted and welcomed, the way he was, thus, he felt being loved. Jesus addressed him with respect and with dignity without condition, without pretensions, and without questions. This encounter with Jesus, changed Zacchaeus completely.
This attitude reminds us of every human heart’s desire to encounter the Lord. We are made for God. God is imprinted in our hearts as we are created in God’s image and likeness. Let us be conscious on that. Let us be aware that we desire God.
Yet, in our desire for God, there will be things that will prevent us to see and encounter God. This is what we find in the story of Zacchaeus.
What are those that prevent us to truly encounter God?
Perhaps, our fear and shame of admitting that we have sinned prevent us in truly meeting the Lord. Fear causes us low self-esteem and to hide because we are afraid of being judged by others, and by the people around us. Shame also prevents us to hold God’s love in our hearts and his forgiveness because we feel that we are not worthy. Our emotional hurts from the past could also hold us back especially when they hardened our hearts to be welcoming of others like that of Zacchaeus.
Our arrogance can also prevent us in meeting the Lord. Our indifference stops us from true conversion. Let us ask then, ourselves,
what are those things, addictions, or attitudes that may hinder us from truly seeking God?
The story of Zacchaeus reminds us that we have actually the capacity to overcome anything that holds us back to see God. We are called to ran ahead and overcome those attitudes that prevent us from seeing Jesus. Let us look for a tree where we can climb over our sins and fear. Look for a friend whom you can share you own problems and struggles, come to the sacraments with a heart that truly desires the Lord, only then, that we are able to overcome those that prevent us from being near the Lord.
We too are reminded in the story that though our heart desires for God,
but God desires more to see us, to be with us.
Thus, the Lord is constantly looking and searching for us. Jesus was in fact searching for Zacchaeus, searching for a sinner, indeed, we are all the Zacchaeus in the Gospel that Jesus has been searching for. Jesus desires to be with us and that we will be reconciled to him and will be healed from our past hurts and pains. Let us allow then the Lord to search us, to find us and to heal us.
Hopefully, our encounter with Jesus will bring us also into that joy of forgiveness and assurance of love from God that we are forgiven, accepted and respected. This may hopefully lead us too to repair the damage that we have caused and to make amendments for our sins like Zacchaeus who promised Jesus to give to the poor half of his possessions and repay four times over those he extorted. Hinaut pa.
October 31, 2019 – Thursday 30th Week in Ordinary Time
(In this reflection, a young professional shares his experiences and affirms the power of the Holy Rosary that changed his life.)
A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans (8:31b-39)
Brothers and sisters: If God is for us, who can be against us? He did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him? Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. Who will condemn? It is Christ Jesus who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? As it is written:
For your sake we are being slain all the day; we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.
No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (13:31-35)
Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you.” He replied, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I accomplish my purpose. Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day, for it is impossible that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem.’
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were unwilling! Behold, your house will be abandoned. But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Homily
“If God is for us, who can be against us?… What will separate us from the love of God?”
In fact, nothing outside ourselves can separate us from God. St. Paul affirms this to us today. Not the difficulties in our life, not those people who have hurt us, not those abuses, not those emotional hurts, not our sickness, not calamities and not even death. The love of God is so great that we are bound to him. God’s love is not something that is merely on the head but shown to us in most concrete ways in our life.
This tells us how persistent God’s love is because he reveals himself in every moment of our life. That is why, Jesus’ love for you and for me is not merely a memory of a distant past, but his love is so alive and active. God is loving us now. Hopefully, we too will be able to realize and feel that even in the midst of so much mess we may have in our life at this very moment. God is wanting us to live and be alive in his presence.
Truly, nothing outside ourselves can separate us from God, but God does not control us. Because God does not impose himself on us, we remain free in our response to Him. If there is one things that can separate us, it is ourselves. When we decide to separate from God and hide ourselves from him, then, we are certainly distancing from his love. When this is done consciously, then, we surely separate ourselves from the very presence of God
This is what we have heard from the Gospel today. Jesus was told to go away and leave because Herod planned to kill him. Many people in Jerusalem especially those in authority rejected him. Jesus was unwelcomed. This was a conscious rejection of God.
Yet, even though Jesus was rejected, still Jesus persistently called them back. This tells us that even God is so persistent in inviting us.
Today, we also culminate the Rosary Crusade that our Redemptorist Youth Ministry since October 1. Every night we have been in one house to another to visit families in our communities in the parish. Thus, I would like you to listen to our youth sharer on how the Lord invites him to come closer through the Holy Rosary that we have been doing in the past month. Let us welcome Engr. Jun Paul Mamac Inocellas.
In culminating this year Rosary Crusade by the Redemptorist Youth Ministry, let me share to you how the Rosary helps me in my life now as a young professional.
Way back in the year 2012 when the Rosary Crusade started, I was part of the Parish Youth Coordinating Council and a working student as well. I was a second-year college at that moment taking up my second course, the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. I was struggling being a student and as an active youth member of the Parish.
I was emotionally and spiritually weak at that moment, gani dali ra ko madani sa mga temptation atong panahuna. At that time first semester and first term, I got my second failing grade and told myself “undang nalang kaya ko ug eskwela? Lisud naman kaayo ug maka luya!”. When I was about to tell my mother about my grades, na-unhan ko niya ug istorya “Dong! Ana imong papa gikapoy na daw siya ug pangitag kwarta” upat pami gi paeswkela ato nila. Nag padayon si mama, “Mao na Dong paning kamot jud sa pag eskwela samtang kaya sa imong papa bahalag lisud,” knowing that papa didn’t finished his elementaryi was moved at what Mama told me.
First Semester was about to end and it was October already syempre month of the rosary na. October 1, 2012 the Rosary Crusade started with a Holy Eucharist before we transferred it to the first Chapel. Before the rosary started, the prayer leader asked, “kinsa tong naay petition diha kay atong include sa rosary.” I wondered and asked, “is that possible?” I did not know that, kani laging October ra mo ampo ug rosary sauna unya painit ra ang apas.
So, I told the prayer leader about my petitions. First, was for more strength and healthy body to my parents. Second, I asked for the perseverance and endurance in my studies. After that, every time I felt sadness, emptiness, and got worried, I would pray the rosary and felt at peace and comfortable.
Since then, as I prayed the holy rosary more often, many things changed in my life. All my needs have been answered by God. And I appreciated the many things God gave to me. I am always protected, even when I do not specifically ask for it. The enemy flees the moment I call Mama Mary’s name. My outlook in life has changed and now I truly believed that anything is possible in Him.
I finished my degree in 7 years with five failing grades, passed the licensure exam and currently working on a real estate developer as a Civil Engineer. Thanks to Mama Mary for her intercession and praise God who has given me strength to conquer all failures in my life.
I encourage you now to start your own journey. The Holy Rosary has changed my life, I hope it changes yours too. To end my Rosary Crusade story let me leave this to you as St. Josemaría Escrivá “The holy Rosary is a powerful weapon. Use it with confidence and you’ll be amazed at the results.”
What Jun Paul shared to us is a manifestation how God could be so subtle in bringing us back. God is subtle and gentle yet so persistent. God’s love for us is indeed so great and tremendous that he would do everything to bring us closer to him.
Difficult situations are turned into graces. Failures are turned into opportunities. Friendships are turned into doors of conversion. Prayers are turned into blessings.
Whatever difficulty we are experiencing at this moment, never lose hope with yourself or with God because God never loses his hope in us. Let God call you back, and let Mary, Our Mother of Perpetual Help to bring you closer to Jesus. Hinaut pa.
(This prayer may be used by families visiting their beloved dead in the cemetery. Anybody can lead this prayer as long as he/she can read and lead well the family.)
(An appropriate song may be sung.)
The prayer begins.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Introduction:
Brothers and sisters, we gather today as a family to pray for our beloved brothers and sisters (parents/grandparents/relatives) whose bodies (ashes) lie here in rest. They have passed from death to life in company with our Lord Jesus, who died and rose to new life, and are purified now of their sins. We pray that God may welcome them among the saints in heaven that they may become our intercessors and guardians for our family.
SCRIPTURAL READING
A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (15:20-23)
Brothers and Sisters: Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead came also through a man. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then at his coming, those who belong to Christ.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
(A moment of silence may be observed.)
LITANY
(OPTION: While the litany is recited, the sprinkling of holy water may be done here – only if holy water is available. If there is no holy water, then, proceed as usual.)
Let us now call on the Holy men and women of God and ask for their intercession that our Loving God may show our beloved dead, mercy and compassion.
Lord, have mercy. Response: Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Response: Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Response: Lord, have mercy.
Holy Mary, Mother of God* *Response: PRAY FOR THEM.
Saint Michael, the Archangel*
Saint Joseph*
Saint John the Baptist*
Saints Peter and Paul*
Saint Andrew*
Saint Stephen*
Saint Anne*
Saint Joachin*
Saint Teresa of Avila*
Saint John of the Cross*
Saint Alphonsus de Liguori*
Saint Lorenzo Ruiz*
Saint Pedro Calungsod*
(Other names of the saints may be added here)
All you holy men and women*
Christ, pardon all their faults*** ***Response: LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Christ, remember the good they have done***
Christ, receive them into eternal life***
Christ, comfort of all those who mourn***
Lord, have mercy. Response: Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Response: Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Response: Lord, have mercy.
Filled with confidence in our hearts, let us now call on God our Loving Father through the prayer our Lord Jesus taught us.
OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN,
HOLLOWED BE THEY NAME.
THY KINGDOM COME.
THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD
AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES,
AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINTS US;
AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION,
BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
Let us also ask the intercession of Mary, Our Mother of Perpetual Help.
HAIL MARY, FULL OF GRACE,
THE LORD IS WITH YOU, BLESSED ARE YOU AMONG WOMEN,
AND BLESSED IS THE FRUIT OF YOUR WOMB, JESUS.
HOLY MARY, MOTHER OF GOD,
PRAY FOR US SINNERS,
NOW AND AT THE HOUR OF OUR DEATH. AMEN.
LET US PRAY.
All powerful God, whose mercy is never withheld from those who call upon you in hope, look kindly on our beloved dead and your servant/s (names can be mentioned here), who departed from this life confessing your name, and number them among your saints forevermore that they may also intercede for us here on earth and watch over us.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Concluding Rite
Eternal rest grant unto (name/s, them), O Lord.
And let your perpetual light shine upon (him/her/them).
May (he/she/they) rest in peace.
Amen.
May the soul of (name/s), and the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
A DOSE OF GOD TODAY 