Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Fr. Mario Masangcay, CSsR

  • Decision to Believe

    Decision to Believe

    August 25, 2024 – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082524.cfm)

    During the revolution in Nicaragua, it was once said that a group of Catholics seeks refuge inside a big cathedral. While praying inside as the war between rebels and army escalates,  gun-toting rebels came inside and barked at them, “Those who believed in Jesus Christ, stay and stand up for your faith. Those who don’t believe in Jesus Christ, you may now go free.” Hearing this, more than two-third of the refugees went out in a hurry and left the church, while the rest stayed behind trembling. The rebels then, closed the cathedral’s door and said, “Brothers and sisters, please continue to pray. We all need your prayers. But we rather pray with true believers than with hypocrites.”

    In his book Conversations with God, Neale Donald Walsch said: “Your decision today is a statement of who you are & a testimony of who you choose to be.” True indeed, whatever decisions we make in life reflect our very own identity as well as life-choices. Whatever circumstances we are in – whether free or limited, we do have a choice in life. What makes it difficult for us nowadays is not the lack, but rather because of the many choices & options we have. And even not to choose may also been a good choice. However, not making a choice in life now & in our life-hereafter makes our life miserable & meaningless. Thus, whatever your choice & what you decide mirrors your own identity & attitude towards life.

    In today’s reading, we hear Joshua, the successor of Moses challenging the Israelites once and for all, to make a choice. Although the Israelites were the chosen people and had experienced the mighty works of Yahweh, still some of them had worshipped idols and other gods.

    They were very influenced by the religious practices of their ancestors and of the natives who worshipped idols. Before the people, Joshua proclaimed his faith in Yahweh that he and his house decide that they would serve only the Lord. Seeing this, the people also accepted Yahweh as their Lord and God.

    In the gospel, we also hear Jesus challenging his disciples to make a choice. Many followed Jesus, some out of curiosity, some for healing and for other favors, and some out of conviction that he was the Messiah. But when Jesus began to teach them about participating in his very life and mission, by accepting his word and partaking in his body and blood as food and drink, many could not accept it.

    Many disciples withdrew and no longer followed him. They deserted him and stopped following him. That is the time Jesus asked his twelve apostles, “Will you also go away?” He asked them whether they too would leave him. He did not want to force anyone to accept him.

    He has already shown the way. Now they had to make a decision, a choice. And Peter proclaimed his and their choice: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life. We now believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

    Joshua, Peter & the apostles made their choice. Dear friends in Christ: “what about us?” “How about us?”

    In today’s readings, we are also challenged to make a decision. We are asked to make a choice, whether do you believe in Jesus, as the words of eternal life or not. “Are you for Jesus or against Jesus?” We know that although most of Filipinos are Catholics, some have left the Church. Some become cold or lukewarm with their faith in God and His Church. We know some of our relatives or friends have stopped going to mass, leave the church and/or joined this group or that sect.

    If Jesus now asks you: “How about you? Do you want to go away too?” What will your answer be? Will it be a definite, convincing “Yes or No”.  Or will it be a hesitant “Yes or No”?

    During Eucharist, as we recite the Apostle’s creed, we say: “I believe. I believe in God the Father Almighty. I believe in Jesus Christ, the only son of our Lord.” But do we really believe in God? Do we really believe and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior or do we desert Him like others do? Simple put, do we say what we mean & mean what we say? Are we believers in faith, or just in name?

    Our faith then is not a matter of saying words or formula out of convention, convenience, or obligation, but a matter of professing, proclaiming our own free and voluntary decision or choice to follow Christ. Remember: Your decision today is a statement of who you are and a testament of who you choose to be. Ours then is our decision to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.

    Like the Apostles, Lord, we do say: “Asa pa man diay: to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” May we never be separated from you. Amen.

    Please stand, let us now proclaim our choice, our decision…

  • OPEN INVITATION

    OPEN INVITATION

    August 18, 2024 – 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081824.cfm)

    It was once told that while a grand feast celebration is going on in heaven, our Lord Jesus is found missing. As to account for His whereabouts, the disciples are to search for Him discreetly. Eventually Peter found the Lord at the pearly gates waiting for someone else. So, when Peter asked Him about His seeming absence & distance, the Lord said: “I’m still waiting for Judas to come. I invite Him in & He is always welcome to join us.”

    We all do familiar with Peter & Judas. Both are the Lord’s trusted disciples (Peter as coordinator/Judas as treasurer) & both have failed the Lord (Peter’s denial/Judas’ betrayal). But what makes Peter better than Judas is that Peter allows himself to be forgiven, loved & invited again by the risen Lord. By killing himself, Judas however missed his chance to be forgiven, loved & invited by the risen Lord. But regardless what happened, our Lord still waits & invites us ALL (not only Judas) to be with Him united in God’s glory.

    Simply put, God’s love for us through our risen Lord Jesus Christ is always an Open Invitation to all. We are all welcome then to partake & participate in God’s divine life as His family & children. All we have to do is to come & respond to God’s open invitation & allow Him again to forgiven, love & invite us always.

    Brothers and Sisters, at the very heart of our readings today is the expressions of God’s open invitation for us to be part of His divine life.

    In our first reading, God, as wisdom invites us to celebrate with Him, saying “Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.”

    Paul even advised us in our spiritual divine life with God to watch carefully how we live, try to understand the Lord’s will, & be filled with the Spirit. And in our gospel today, when he said to the crowds: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world,”

    Jesus is inviting us all to accept & consume His person into our very lives so that He may be with us always & we may be welcome into His divine life with God, our Father, explicitly encouraging to “Taste & See the goodness of the Lord” as our Psalm exhorts. Thus, God openly invites & wills for all of us to be one with Him in His divine life with Christ.

    We emphasize here that such open invitation of God is not only available in heaven later at the end of time, but is extended even now here in our earthly life through our Eucharistic celebration. Yes, His open invitation for us to be part of His divine life is celebrated here & now as we partake in the banquet  of the Lord’s Holy Eucharist.

    This means also that by invitation – the Lord’s invitation, and not by our worthiness, we celebrate the Holy Eucharist. Yes, we come to attend the Eucharist not because we are worthy deserving, but because we are invited by God.

    We come to celebrate Eucharist because we are welcomed by God beyond & regardless of our righteousness or sinfulness. Because we are loved & beloved by God, we partake & celebrate in our Lord’s banquet here & now, and so, participate in sacred life, worthy & unworthy we maybe.

    Be reminded then that the Lord’s invitation is ever present & inclusive. All are invited & welcome to partake in the Holy Eucharist in our earthly life here & now, and to be united in the divine life with our God now & always.

    As we grow in our divine life by our Christian faith & witness, may we come, honor & respond accordingly to His open invitation regardless how blessed or broken we may be. Amen.

  • LIFE’S FOOD

    LIFE’S FOOD

    August 11, 2024 – 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081124.cfm)

    Surely we are familiar with the expression: “You are what you eat”. But what does it mean?

    It is one way of saying that what  food we intake mirrors what makes up our body. Our diet – what we eat reflects then not only our body but also our person. Properly it means “tell me what you eat & I will tell you what & who you are.” A vegetarian & herbivore eat plants, fruits & vegetables. A carnivore eats meat, fish & fowls. An omnivore & flexitarian eat both plants & meat.

    We should however not take this literally for there is more to our person than our diet. Nevertheless, somehow our diet & food intake mirror the state & health of our whole being. It somehow also saying “You reap what you sow” i.e. good seed bears good fruits, bad seed bears bad fruit. In computer lingo, GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out).

    This is what Jesus trying to convey in our gospel today when He used the image of Himself as Bread of Life. Same as food is essential to Life, Jesus is also saying to the people then & to us now that like food, Jesus is essential to our life with God.

    What makes us alive & healthy then in our faith-relationship with God, our father is our recognition, acceptance & complete trust in Jesus as the Bread of Life. Our intake & communion of Jesus’ life, faith & mission mirror our very person in life & our being before God. A Christian then eats, nourishes & lives on our Lord Jesus Christ.

    Be conscious that nowadays there is an unhealthy tendency to over- emphasize our sins than God’s offer of life. We hear some thinking that in attending mass, we should not take communion if have not gone to confession yet, OR it is a sin to take communion without confession.

    This is unhealthy & a misnomer (wrong & inaccurate) for the Eucharist is God’s offer of life that we should never reject and undervalue over & above our sins & repentance. In other words, there is more to God’s offer Life in Jesus as the Bread of Life than just about the forgiveness of our sins.

    In the Eucharist then, God is not concerned about your Sin or Our sins, but concerned of our Life with Him. And if you attend mass for the sake of your sins & not life with God, you might as well not go to mass, but go to confession instead because you are not well-disposed & not worthy of the life food being given in the Eucharist.

    Remember our Lord Jesus is the Savior & the Bread of life (God’s manna/food for us). He is not the Judge to condemn & punish us of our sins. He offers us life & salvation, not judgment, condemnation & damnation.

    As we try to live what we believe, practice what we preach, may we grow more mature & healthy in our faith as we receive God’s food of life in Jesus; and outgrow our shortcomings to be better & do better as faithful of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

    So be it. Amen.

  • ENOUGH FOR US ALL

    ENOUGH FOR US ALL

    August 4, 2024 – 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080424.cfm)

    It could happen that once in a while some wayward beggars would come to us & ask for some “bahaw” or left-over food to eat. Once I gave some food enough for a day to a beggar. As he received the food, he asked: “Walay kape ug saging man lang?” (How about some coffee & fruits for extra?). Though this irritated me, it also made me think: “If I’m going to give, why not give all  – the full package deal with all the extras? Why only give enough for the day? Why not for the whole week?

    But as we all know, human as we are, we are not easily contented. Hard for us to be fully satisfied. We want more. We need more than we already have. Like that wayward beggar, we want some extra: extra rice, sauce, toppings, privileges, discount, bonus, payment and others, with less effort & easily, if possible, quickly. So, when is the limited resources that I have now, enough for me? When is the less that I have, enough for me to share with others who are in need? So, when is enough is enough?Somehow at the very heart of our readings today is the question about ENOUGH.

    In Exodus, we hear that after escaping slavery from Egypt, the people of Israel found themselves free from slavery but hungry in the desert. They needed food for the journey & they grumbly complained about their predicament. To the point of blaming Moses & even preferring to be slave again in Egypt but nourished, rather than free but starving in the wilderness. Yahweh heard their cries & addressed their needs.

    God rained down bread from heaven for them, and they only have to gather enough bread for their daily portion. Great! But they also asked: “What’s this?”. And perhaps may also have asked: “only this, fine flakes?” It might be from heaven, but why only biscuits/flakes? Why not pizza or burger? No extra drinks? And why gather only enough for the day? Why not save & reserve for tomorrow? In the same way in our gospel today, after they were fed and have their fill at the multiplication of loaves, the people followed Jesus because they want more.

    They never had enough. They need more extra from Jesus. In their mind, they would think: “Since you, Jesus have already fed us, what more can You offer us? What shall we do to have what You can give us? Do we need to work for food?

    Over and beyond our human needs for survival & God’s saving act is the question of our Faith and Trust in God. The manna from heaven and the miracle of feeding thousands of people is not about the Gift, but about our faith in the Giver. What matter most then is not having enough or more than enough Food and blessings to receive, but more so about us believing & trusting in God as Giver of the Gifts & in His ways of taking care of us. It is all about having enough faith & trust in God & His work of giving us life to its fullness.

    Through the manna from heaven, Yahweh gave the people enough manna provision for the day – not pizza for the whole week, because as Yahweh said, “I will test them, to see whether they follow my instructions or not”. The graces before us now then is a test in our faith with God rather than rescue operation or feeding program to satisfy our immediate & urgent needs.

    In the same way, there is more to the miracle of Jesus than just the feeding of the multitude. It is a challenge for the people-then & us-now, as Jesus said: to “BELIEVE in the one God sent”. In the same way as God sent manna from Heaven, God sent us His son, Jesus not just to satisfy our cravings, our needs & hunger for more, but more so to offer us fullness & meaningful life in faith with God. Here, Jesus clearly proclaiming to us now: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

    Simply put: In life , Jesus is Enough for Us. He is all that we need in life, nothing more, nothing less. Only required of us now is to accept Him, as God-sent bread of Life, and believe His life & witness as God’s work of salvation, is enough and more than enough for us, and for all.

    This is what St. Alphonsus de Liguori, the founder of the Redemptorists believes. For St. Alphonsus, “With Him, there is fullness of redemption”  – With Jesus, we already got & have abundance grace & blessing always. In other words, Jesus is enough & more than enough for us. And Jesus & all His offer of graces are given for all and not only for the few.

    All has a share in God’s blessing of Redemption – and this is what St. Alphonsus and we Redemptorists, & all of us Christian, believe & proclaim to all people in the world, most especially to the poor, neglected & most abandoned: Jesus, the bread of Life is Enough for us all.

    When Jesus taught us to pray “Give us each day our daily bread”, he doesn’t want us just to express our needs, since the Father knows already what we need. But he wants us to express our faith in God that we believe and abide with whatever the Father gifts & wills for us.

    Thus, when all is said and done, it was not the manna that sustained the Israelites in the desert, it was not the bread and fishes in the Jesus’ time, it was not our daily bread that sustains us today. What sustained them and us today is our faith and trust in God.

    No matter how difficult life may be, for those who trust in God, and live a day at a time, rest assured, God’s blessing of manna from heaven falls everyday with Jesus always with us.

    Lord, our bread of life, Your Love & your grace are Enough for us. Continue to nourish & give us life. Teach us to worship more the Giver than the gifts now and always. Amen.

  • INTERRUPTIONS

    INTERRUPTIONS

    July 21, 2024 – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072124.cfm)

    A man went to see a friend who is a public high school teacher. However, as they chatted at the school canteen, they were continually interrupted by students who came for his friend’s advice or opinion on something or another. Eventually he asked his friend, “How do you manage to get any work done with so many interruptions?” His friend replied, “At first, I resented interruptions in my work. But one day, it suddenly dawned on me that interruptions are part of my teaching work. Educating students is not so much what I teach them inside the classroom but also how much time and attention I give them outside the classroom.”

    That teacher could have devoted his time on his lesson plans. He could have attended much of his time to his private life and not be involved with his student’s lives. But being caring and generous that he is, he made his work consists in being available to his students. No wonder he was greatly loved and respected by the students.

    We do experience interruptions in our life. Especially people who are in caring profession like teachers, priests, social workers, government and bank employees, doctors and nurses experience lots of disturbances at work. And usually these interruptions are particularly difficult especially when the request is not of our own choosing, when we don’t feel in the mood to help, and when it causes a lot of inconveniences. In such cases, a real sacrifice is involved. Most of the time, we have to forget ourselves and set aside our feeling and our plans.

    It is good for us to know that Jesus himself also had to cope with interruptions in his ministry. Jesus too had his plans upset and postponed because of other people’s needs. Our gospel today tells us how Jesus first has seen the need of his apostles for rest and recreation. After he had sent them on a mission to proclaim the good news, to heal the sick and to cast out demons, Jesus understood his apostles’ need for break & team-building to recharge their energy.

    They had been through a lot of experiences while on mission that they need the time to eat and to process their experiences with Jesus. With this, Jesus planned to take them off to a quiet place for a break because caregiver as they are, the apostles also needed caring; healer as they are they also needed healing. However, as we have heard, things didn’t work out as planned. The ordinary people followed them and interrupted their rest and recreation.

    And how did Jesus react? Not with annoyance but with compassion. Jesus was moved with pity for them. Inasmuch as he attended and took care of his apostles’ need for a break, out of compassion for them, Jesus also responded to the needs of other people.

    The key here is not on interruptions in life because there will always be interruptions in life. Life-interruptions are inevitable, & somehow God works through these interruptions. But important here is our attitudes toward these life-interruptions.

    Jesus teaches us today that in our work, our ministry, our service to others, what matters most is the SELFLESSNESS, our ability to go beyond our very selves for us to help and respond fully to the need of others.

    Meaning, we have to forget ourselves – lose & lessen ourselves once in awhile and set aside our feelings and plan for us to be compassionate – to feel with others, & allow God’s ways to happen. In ministry and care-giving to others, persons are more important than the work. In self-surrender & selflessness, God’s compassion, caring, healing, availability & presence do evolve.

    Yes, to take care of others and to love others is not an easy mission. But to care as Jesus did, when it does disturb & upset us, especially our plans – is the real test. Much as we do need the love and care of others, as Christians, remember we are also capable of caring and called to be take care of others, as Jesus, the Good Shepherd cares for his apostles and his flock.

    Through our selfless caring of others, we somehow feel with the sufferings of others as well as our own sufferings, and allow ourselves & others to be recharged & empowered, as we both received God’s healing & care through our Lord Jesus. Somehow as we care for others needs, we & others are also being taken cared of by God’s love & blessings in Jesus.

    Remember Jesus once said in Mt 16:25, “for whoever wants to save his own life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” In our selfless caring of others for Christ, we also find ourselves loved & cared for by God. Thus, we are also blessed as we are to selflessly be blessings to others.

    Third Sunday of July is particularly special for us Redemptorists all over the world because today is the Solemnity of the Holy Redeemer, the Titular feast of the Congregation of the Most Redeemer. As we Christians believe in Jesus as Resurrected Christ, we also give importance of our Lord as our Holy Redeemer, who continually disturbs, interrupts, intervenes & offers our lives God’s plentiful love & care ever since, until now & forever.

    May all be blessed as we are blessed to follow our Lord now & always.

    So May It Be. Amen.