Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Fr. Mario Masangcay, CSsR

  • In Life’s Dryness

    In Life’s Dryness

    March 8, 2026 – Third Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030826.cfm)

    Common people from rural villages teach us a simple wisdom: “If and when the well runs dry, (don’t look for another wells) just dig deeper. (Kon ang atabay mahubsan, ayaw pangita og lain, palawomi lang : Pag ang balon natuyo, huwag humanap ng iba, hukayin lang ng mas malalim.) Simple practical words of wisdom that speak not only of how important water is to our life, but also offers us deeper meaning to our experience of thirst & dryness in life, in our love for others & even in our faith in God. 

    In life we do indeed experience dryness. Like wellsprings “atabay”, there are moments in our lives that we feel dry and thirsty in life and in our relationships with God, others and even oneself. There are periods in our life that like the Israelites, we grumble before the Lord about our life-miseries, challenges, and problems, doubting His presence & wondering “Is the Lord really with us or not?” Yes, we do have moments of spiritual & personal dryness in our relationship with ourselves, others & God in life.

    However, experiences of dryness in life and in our relationships with God & others could be an invitation and opportunity to go and be connected with God himself, the source of life. And so, in our experiences of life’s dryness and thirst, and God’s seeming absence, as the saying goes “If and when the well runs dry, (don’t look for another wells) just dig deeper. (Kon ang atabay mahubsan, ayaw pangita og laing, palawomi lang: Pag ang balon natuyo, huwag humanap na iba, hukayin lang ng mas malalim.)

    Meaning, our experiences of thirst for God’s love and/or dryness in our life and relationships could also then be the opportunity not to search for another wellsprings, but  to dig our own wellspring deeper, which is, the right time and place to examine our life and relationship, be in touch with our realities and ideals, at the same time deepen our relationships and commitments. In other words, dryness in life are moments of encounters or meeting points where we can experience once anew for ourselves our relationship and commitment with others and with God deeply.

    The gospel we have just heard is an account of the meeting of Jesus with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. This is one of the most touching encounters in the gospels which pictures God’s love and human conversion : a story of God reaching out to us and us reaching back to God through the person of Jesus.

    At Jacob’s well, Jesus expressed God’s thirst for our faith and love for Him as well as offered us God’s life-giving or love-giving life. At Jacob’s well, the Samaritan woman became in touch with her own dryness and thirst, her need for God’s eternal life at the same time quenched her thirst in her encounter-meeting with Jesus. As she met Jesus at Jacob’s well, the Samaritan woman began to know and accept herself deeply (from being a Samaritan, descendant of Jacob, a divorcee to a believer) as well as she began to know and accept Jesus deeply (from a Jew, Sir, Prophet, Christ). At the Jacob’s well, Jesus recognized and satisfied the woman’s need for God’s love, and the woman recognized and fulfilled Jesus’ need for our faith & trust in Him.

    Thus, in dryness and abundance of water, there may be a lot of positive things will happen at wellsprings of life. Usually at the wellsprings of our life we experience, renew, and deepen our life-commitments and relationships with one another and our faith in God through Jesus.

    The season of Lent is also the wellspring moments of our Christian life. Amidst our spiritual dryness & seeming absence of God, Lenten season is the appropriate place and time to once again to encounter and experience God’s life-giving saving act through the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ.

    So again, if and when the well runs dry, don’t look and no need to dig for another well, just dig your own wellspring deeper and be in touch and be quench once again with your original life-giving water.

    We pray then that the Lord may grant us the grace to know Him deeply, love Him more dearly and follow Him closely during this another new Lenten Season of our Christian faith & life now & always.

    So May It Be. Amen.

  • LISTEN & RESPOND

    LISTEN & RESPOND

    March 1, 2026 – Second Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030126.cfm)

    Usually the word OBEDIENCE is associated with being compliant with an order or submission to the authority of other than oneself. This explains why we call someone who follows the law, willing to do what is commanded & submissive to the authority’s order as obedient person.

    However for St. Benedict, the father of Western monasticism, there is more to obedience than just adherence to the rule & simple blind obedience without any question. Most especially in Christian faith & in spirituality, for St. Benedict, obedience entails listening & responding. What is essential then for our obedience to God is for us to listen intently & respond accordingly to God’s will & plans for us. For common sense teaches us that without listening, no response happens; with listening, better things may happen.

    This is the kind of obedience Jesus expect of us when he said: “whoever has ears ought to hear”. Same obedience God expects of us in our gospel today, when he said: “This is my beloved Son…. listen to Him.” It is not enough then that we just simply obey what God has commanded of us, but moreso we have to hear & listen with discernment what is being said…. what we hear… what we say & what God is saying about being said….  Before we respond accordingly. Simply put, obedience is not just a matter of “Command & Obey” but moreso about “Listen & Respond”.

    In other words, obedience to God is our responsibility – our ability to respond to God’s invitations & visitation for us at this very moment of our life in faith with Him.

    Like Abraham in our first reading, what is expected of us then is not our blind submission & passive compliance, but our obedient response to God’s will & plan for us at this time with the assurance of His help, as Jesus  encourages us to “Rise and have no fear” in our faith-journey with Him.

    While we “ought to hear” what God said and is saying to us now,  most especially during this Lenten season, may we listen & respond obediently & accordingly to what is being offered & in store for us for the better of our today & tomorrow now & always.

    So May It Be. Amen.

  • M.I.C.E.

    M.I.C.E.

    February 22, 2026 – First Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022226.cfm)

    Every Holy Tuesday, we usually remember the circumstances of the treachery & betrayal of Judas Iscariot that has led to the eventual passion & death of our Lord Jesus Christ. There, we come to know Jesus exposé of Judas’ betrayal as trusted finance officer of the disciples of Jesus who corrupted their funds & conspired with the bashers, detractors & enemies of Jesus that led to the Lord’s arrest & execution.

    We may have known how painful it is & would be, if & when we are betrayed by our own trusted people. Betrayal of trust is surely a difficult & traumatic experience for us that breaks people’s hearts & lives. But we may beg the question & wonder, “what moves and tempts people to betray others?”

    It has been said that in the espionage world or the world of spies, there are four factors that tempt spies to defect & betray their loyalties & people. Its acronym is MICE (Money, Ideology, Compromise & Ego). And somehow we might say that these are the four reasons that we & other may tempt & cause to betray ourselves, others & even God. Temptations & betrayals then somehow always involved with (MICE) Money, Ideology, Compromise & Ego.

    These are very true in the case of Judas Iscariot. Definitely, he was in to betray Jesus for the M-money (30 pieces of silver). He was in for business-influences & market-consumerism of I – ideology, willing to C- compromise his faith, beliefs & values, & to conspire with the enemy. And above all, His selfish E – ego, self-centeredness causes Judas to betrays his Lord. This simply explain why we always associate people who betrayed us as Judas & we consider Judas as betrayer.

    Glimpses of MICE may also be discerned in the temptations of Christ. Same MICE tactics are employed by the tempter. We see in our gospel today how the devil tempts Jesus to turn stone into bread, (which we now associate with M-money); then, the devil dares Jesus to jump from the high cliff to I- ideologize His greatness & C-compromise His faith; and the devil offers the Lord the whole world to boost & boast His E-ego.

    These are the same pitfalls & warning signs that may fall & lead us to the temptations of betraying & betrayals. Same MICE tactics (Money, Ideology, Compromise & Ego) make us betray our suffrage – our right to vote & betrayal of public trust that lead us to vote-buying & vote selling. Somehow same MICE tactics that make building contractors & government officials corrupt & exploit our government projects that cause recent mass death & human disasters.

    And so, let us be aware of MICE tactics (Money, Ideology, Compromise & Ego) that the devil uses & have caused people & even ourselves to be like Judas Iscariot in betraying ourselves, others & our Lord that is making life difficult, harmful & traumatic for all & everyone. And above all, beware of MICE (Money, Ideology, Compromise & Ego) for it could lead us to betray our faith in Jesus Christ, & ourselves as Christians.

    Nevertheless, trials & tribulations have always been part of our life. Somehow sometime we do experience & deal with temptations & tests in life. This is not only life-trials that we choose to do, but also trials & tests imposed upon us by others & by circumstances that we find ourselves into.

    Jesus do understand & know our experiences of temptations, tests & betrayals in life. Our gospel today even describes to us the tests of MICE tactics Jesus has to face as he is about to proclaim the good news of God’s salvation. Same way, as we try to live our Christian values, like Jesus, we will also be tested & betrayed by others as to our stance in faith & life. Easy for us to fall from such temptations, to fail from such tests & compromise our values & principles, whenever we don’t take account for what we are responsible for & with in life. Amid then these evil probes & tests put upon us by others,  and  the expectations & stresses we bring to ourselves, yes, we do need our Father’s protection & guidance.

    Thus, Jesus taught us  to specifically pray that we may not be brought to the tests or be led not into temptation, but be deliver us from evil. We pray these words then not to free us from tests but to grant us the faith & strength to overcome whatever adversities that comes our way in life. For as it is said: “In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge”, without God we can do nothing, as well.

    And thus, Lord take away everything that distance us from you. Grant us everything that bring us closer to you. Detach us from ourselves to give our All to you.

    So may it be. Amen.

  • SPIRITED

    SPIRITED

    February 15, 2026 – Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021526.cfm)

    “Do you believe in chain letters? or nowadays we may call it as Copy-Paste & Post OR-ELSE…. Facebook, Messenger, or Twitter posts?”

    At times, I have been asked about this, & I find myself giving the same answer. I say: “In general, I don’t trust anything that offers promises or threats, IF (meaning, with conditions) you do or don’t this or that, with the usual addendum “Or Else…”. In my book, deserved gifts are called prizes or salary, but underserved gifts are called Grace and Blessings. God’s grace is not something we do to God, but what God does to us. Just try to be the better Christian, as you choose and can be, not as what others (in chain letters, posts, or messages) want you to be.”

    For the past Sundays, we have been hearing about the public ministry of Jesus where he proclaims to us the Good News of God’s salvation. In his preaching, Jesus basically calls us to change our ways for God is with us (Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand). He then in Beatitudes makes known to us how blessed are the meek, humble, merciful, and righteous, because they are faithful enough to welcome God’s blessings into our lives (Blessed are you…). He also reminds us that much as we are blessed, we are also a blessing to others (You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world). Wow, what a gospel – a GOOD NEWS indeed to us!

    In a nutshell, we need to change our life since we are already and always blessed and a blessing to others because we believe that God is with us and his Kingdom is at hand. This is the very core message of Jesus ever since and until now as being always proclaimed to us and by us, His Church.

    After always hearing, reflecting, and knowing Jesus’ good news of God’s salvation, what then for us now?

    Somehow, we wonder as to HOW to gratefully respond to and live out such great blessings into our lives. We ponder on HOW can we remain, endure, and persevere in living with Jesus’ gospel in our day to day living. Like, what are we to do now to respond and be converted and practice His gospel into our lives? And surely for Jesus, it is not enough just to keep the Torah or observing the Ten Commandments or the law of Moses.

    In our gospel today, we hear the Sermon on the Mount of Jesus wherein he directs us how to live in the good news of God’s salvation. By reviewing and commenting on the Torah, which is the Jewish standard of righteousness, Jesus reorients people that there is far more better in His message of God’s salvation than just observing the Law of Moses. He reiterates that God’s kingdom is more than just the practice of not killing, not committing adultery, and not making false promises. God’s kingdom is more so and above all about respecting life, reverence for people’s union – making marriage sacred, and living life with integrity before God & others.

    For Jesus then, to live in His blessing of God’s salvation is not a matter of just practicing and observing but more so fulfilling the Law of Moses. Here Jesus is upgrading the Jewish Law of Moses into His message and mission of teaching, preaching, sharing, and witnessing the values of God’s Kingdom in our lives – An Upgrade from Torah to the Spirit of Jesus.

    Important here is the consistency between our being and our doing – our person & action now as Christian. In a way, Jesus is teaching us that our actions must now reflect our being as blessed and blessing people.

    In other words, be and become consistent with who you are now with what you do, as well as, do what you are supposed to be as Christian. Meaning, far beyond the practice (living out) the values of God’s Kingdom, there must be a Spirituality. For Spirituality is the “because I am” of the “why’s in life, i.e. “Why I do this or do that?” “Because I am…”. Spirituality is thus the spirit of the person behind the action – the meaning behind the practice.

    What matters is not just about the practice but also the spirit behind the practice and action – not only about what we do but why we do it, knowing that ours is a grateful response in thanksgiving to what God does and doing to us, and not like chain-letters, what we may do as bribe or payment for His graces.

    Perhaps you may reflect these days about your Spirituality. Ask yourself: “Why you do what you do?” Be in touch with the meaning and spirit behind your behaviors & actions. Pray that you be a better blessed and blessing Christian you choose and can be, not as others may want you to be. Pray also that our actions be a response in thanksgiving to what God does and is doing to us, rather than as what we do to Him to gain His favor.

    May we live in the spirit of the commandment with our Lord Jesus now & always.

    So May It Be. Hinaut pa unta. Amen.

  • Influencers

    Influencers

    February 8, 2026 – Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020826.cfm)

    Weeks after ordination, four newly-ordained priests were summoned by the bishop for a meeting in his house. As they have settled down in his office, the bishop addressed them: “Young fathers, humor me with some experiment. I have here some piece of stone, cotton, clay and sugar. I want you to choose one of these things and place them on a glass of water before you.” And so they did as instructed by the bishop. Then the bishop said: “Before I will announce to you your new assignment, I want you to learn something from this little experiment we did. Consider the glass of water as your new assignment and consider the kind of priest will you be in your new assigned parish community.

    You can be a stone who does nothing except to be a  new added member in the parish. You don’t influence the parish and the parish does not influence you. You can also be a cotton who easily adjust in the parish but eventually reduced and diminished the parishioners because you centralized everything to yourself. Everything in parish life is now about you, and not about them. You can also be a clay who slowly adjust to the parish, but eventually create disorder, problems, tensions and a lot of stress within, thus becoming a negative influence to the parishioners.

    However, you can also be a sugar who slowly adjust and selflessly dissolve at the background into parish life – sharing positive influence and energy to make the parish sweet, and change it for the better. 

    In life, we do encounter different kinds of leaders in our community. Like the little experiment, we may have categorized our leaders as the stony heartless leaders who does not care at all, or as the Selfish cotton “Me first” leaders who depletes our energy, or as the evil clay tormentor leaders who sow chaos in life, or as the selfless sugar influencing leaders who encourage and inspire us in life.

    And definitely we prefer and expect our leaders to be selfless sugar influencers who have been a blessing to us for they motivate and empower us to be responsible members and change our lives for the better. We also dislike and avoid the stony-heartless, the selfish cotton “me-first” and the evil clay tormentor leaders for they make our family & community life heavy and miserable. 

    We hear Jesus in our gospel today saying: “You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.” From these words, surely Jesus like us, would also want and expect our leaders to be selfless influencers, who leads us by their words and example. However His words are not only addressed to our leaders but also to ourselves, His followers, as light of the world & salt of the earth.

    When Jesus declares to us today that “You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world”, He proclaims to our very selves that with Him, we are not only already blessed but we are also God’s blessings to others. This means that as Christian, we are and we should be a blessing and a selfless influencing leader to others – to be light of the world, salt of the earth, and sugar within the family & community.

    Inasmuch as we have been blessed by the inspiration and witness of our selfless influencing leaders, we should also be selfless influencing Christian witness to others within our community. As we have been blessed by God and others, You and I, We as His followers are also and should be then God’s gift and blessings to others within our Christian community – as salt of the earth & the light of the world.

    Consider then that one thing salt & light in common is that they both make a difference wherever they are – and so we should be as followers of Christ. Christians are not only called to blend into the world, but rather make a difference in the world with our Christian values, good works & examples. We must strive to make a positive & life-giving influence & difference in our world by our witness of our Christian faith-life.

    Perhaps then this month, remember the Christians who have been light and salt in your life – who greatly and selflessly influence your growth and formation as  better Christian person. Consider how they have been a blessing to you. Thank God for these Christian witnesses for through them you are blessed. 

    Be reminded also of the people for whom you are trying to be light and salt in life – people under your care, direction and leadership. Consider  how you have been trying to influence & be a blessing  to them as followers of Christ. Pray to God for guidance and courage to be selfless influencing mentors to these people. 

    As a famous theologian, Hans Urs von Balthazar, once said: “What you are is God’s gift to you. What you become in life is your gift to God”. So, BE God’s gift and blessing to others, as much as you have been blessed by God and others.

    Amidst a life that can be dark, broken and tasteless, BE a responsible Christian influencer – a worthy witness to be today’s salt of the earth & light of the world : a sugar in our church now & always.

    So may it be. Siya Nawa. Hinaut pa unta. Amen.