Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Fr. Mario Masangcay, CSsR

  • VIA CON DIOS

    VIA CON DIOS

    June 23, 2024 – 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062324.cfm)

    As we all know, to journey around the Philippines islands would entail a lot of  travel by land, sea or air. This would mean taking the car, bus, tricycle, boat, walk, bike, horse, fast ferry or plane and/or combination of all.

    Once at the pre-departure area of Cebu SuperCat fastcraft ferry terminal, it was announced that our trip to Dumaguete on that day was cancelled due to incoming typhoon. A number of us were grumbling as we lined up ourselves to get our ticket refunded. It happened that one of the passengers recognized me and chatted with me. Expressing her disgust, she suggested to me, “Father, why don’t you pray like Jesus did, for the storm to pass us by.” I replied to her, “It never and will never cross my mind that I am Christ, or I am the Christ. I am a Christian – a mere follower & disciple of Christ.”

    Our gospel today about calming of the storm teaches us about our life as Christians. It tells us what it means to be a Christian. The word Christian comes from the proper noun “Christ”, which means Messiah or Savior and the suffix      “-ian” which mean a follower of, a fan of. Meaning, to be a Christian is not to be Christ savior, but to be a disciple or follower of Christ.

    It is like if one is a follower of Vilma, they are called Vilmanian, and Noranians for Nora. Even the suffix “ian” could have an acronym. If we attached IAN to Christ, IAN could mean (I Am Now) with Christ. But if we detach or separate “ian” from Christ, IAN could mean (I Am Nothing) without Christ. Meaning, if we only remain in Him, we are assured of our salvation and eternal life. Apart from Him, we are nobody. With Him, we are blessed.

    In our world today, we could recognize that there are people who claim that they are christ, (like, Quiboloy & Señor Agila) who promise that they will save us, thinks that only them who can save us, and through their own efforts, on their own, they can save themselves and others – in other words, people with messianic complex.

    There are also people nowadays who expect others to be their Christ who will do and save the day for them. Just like people, who want and expect others, like their priests, politicians & government officials to heal them from sickness, forgive their sins and faults, solve their problems, fix their mess, help them financially and even perform miracles like calming the storm, exorcised their demons, and others.

    Our gospel is a clear reminder that Jesus is THE Christ, and we are Christians – His mere follower. As Christians then, we need Christ. We need to be and live life with Him for without Him we can do nothing. We thus need to travel & journey with Him in our day to day lives.

    Jesus also is teaching us today about PEACE, COURAGE, and FAITH. First of all, Peace is not the absence of war, conflict, storms or turmoil in life, but Peace is the sense of calmness in the midst of life-storms, and the sense of serenity despite wars, conflict, and difficulties in life. We cannot avoid storms in life, but what is required of us is the calmness and serenity of Jesus who says: “Quiet” amid these storms, and difficulties.

    He also teaches us that Courage is more than just moving on – moving fighting forward, but more on holding our ground, facing the odds, still holding on standing, and asking for help. Jesus who says: “Be Still” shows us courage in the midst of the storm not by fighting or controlling it, but by facing the storm without being overwhelmed by it.

    In the same way, courage in the midst of life-storms and difficulties would mean the Christ-like attitude of not only “no retreat, no surrender”, but also “don’t fight nor flee but face it and ask for help”. Facing life-adversities then is not about getting rid and getting out, but more so getting through life-challenges. And lastly, Jesus who asks: “Do you not yet have faith?” is also teaching us that Faith is not more than just the absence of fear and doubt, but to remain steadfast and trusting in the Lord’s will and ways, even when in fear and doubt.

    In life, then, as Christ’s followers, we travel with the Lord in peace, courage & faith. Via con Dios. Go with God, Walk with Jesus.

    As Christians, followers of Christ we pray that we may always recognize His presence and help in our life journey and so bless us with peace, courage, and faith in the midst of storms in life now & always. Amen.

  • SEEDS for the Kingdom

    SEEDS for the Kingdom

    June 16, 2024 – 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061624.cfm)

    A newly-graduated but non-working young GenZ, while hanging-out at home and playing with his X-Box video games, was once asked by his mom to buy some fruits for desserts. Though he prefers to go to a mall for convenient–sake, hesitantly he went to a nearby market. He tried to find his way looking for the fruit-stand since he was never been to this market before. Eventually he found the fruits he needed to buy at a particular fruit-stand. While paying, he jokingly said to the vendor: “Sir, I cannot help but notice you do look like Jesus Christ.” The fruit-vendor reply: “Others would say the same. But assuming I am who you seem I look alike. Do you have any questions for me?” Up for the challenge, he asked: “If you are said-to be the Christ, the savior of the world, how come the world is still a mess? Have you and God done and is doing something about these mess?”

    After giving much thought, the vendor answered, “For sure God has and is doing something about these mess – He created YOU.” In defense, the young man countered: “Me, who am I to fix these mess? I am not rich, not successful, still no-job. I am nobody, no hero. I am limited”.

    So the vendor further challenged him, “So what do YOU need then now to fix these mess?” He dreamingly replied, “Well if only I have more power, resources and opportunities, perhaps like in a computer game, I can be who I am and wish to be”. “That’s all you need?” the vendor disturbed him and then handed him something, “Take this. It got all what you need.”

    As he received it, he confusingly asked, “A SEED? What am I do to with this seed?” The vendor replied, “Well, God has already done and doing something in creating You, and you have the seed now to do your part. It is up to you then whether to plant your seed and work out with God doing your part and growing your seed,…. OR do nothing with your seed, but complain, and let your world and our world still a mess.

    After Christmas, Lenten, Easter seasons where we celebrate our faith – what we believe, we are now in the Ordinary times of our liturgical year where we celebrate our life in faith, i.e. how we live, practice and witness what we believe. Jesus have much to teach us not only what we believe (Dogma) but how to live & practice what we believe (Moral). We have celebrated our Faith, but now we are celebrating our Faith-Life – our Faith & Life.

    To offer us meaning, inspiration and directions in our faith-life journey, Jesus made use of parables and our common life-experiences as life-lessons to live by. Like in our gospel today, by sharing us the parable of the growing seed and mustard seed, Jesus taught us not only about the Kingdom of God but also HOW to live our present lives along with our faith & mission in God’s Kingdom.

    Here Jesus reminds us that nature and our usual human labor or work teach us that “Big things comes from small beginnings”. Yes, the sower & planter might have planted the seed and harvested the fruit but he does not know how the plant grows. And definitely he is not responsible for the seed to grow into full grain & for the smallest mustard seed to be the largest plant with large branches.

    It thus takes a lot of work on our part, AND working in partnership with God, for us to fully enjoy the fruits of our labor with God. Yes, we can be the sower & planter, but God ultimately is the grower.

    With our advanced technology nowadays, we also tend to prefer to have things easy, instant, fast, disposable and convenient. In effect, we become impatient and intolerant with details and processes. We tend to value more the goals, and fruits that we undervalue & even become heartless to the growth-process, labor, and journey it takes. Like the young GenZ, we tend to look at and concern more on the end-product and destination, without considering the process to make it and the travel-journey to get there.

    Never satisfied of what we have accomplished now, we rather tend to criticize & complain about our present mess without doing something about it except criticizing and complaining about it. While we should enjoy & be satisfied to the advantages of what we have today, let us not forget the whole process-journey it takes to reach at this stage of advancement.

    Same as saying: “While you and others enjoys and be satisfied with the fruits of your labor, let us not disregard and undervalue the efforts, work and sacrifices you & others have done as well as God’s work of creating you and through you for life to be better than before, better than our usual ways”.

    In other words, to do away with the messes in life and to fully enjoy what God has given and can offer us in life now, we have to be RESPONSIBLE participants for God’s grace and work of creating and redeeming our life anew. As a wise man once penned, “Who & What you are is God’s gift to you & the world, Who & what you BECOME is your gift to God & the world”.

    With Mary Our Mother of Perpetual Help, teach & lead us Lord to cooperate with Your will & plans for us all the days of our lives so that we may humbly recognize & fully enjoy the fruits of your works for our betterment & the glory of Our Father’s Kingdom.

    So May it Be. Hinaut pa unta. Siya Nawa. Amen.

  • BEWARE of Bad Thoughts : (Stinking-Thinking)

    BEWARE of Bad Thoughts : (Stinking-Thinking)

    June 9, 2024 – 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060924.cfm)

    As observed, there is a tendency among penitents in confession to highlight their faults & sins that somehow could undervalue God’s forgiveness thru absolution. For instance, penitents confessing again their past sins that has been absolved already & have seized to commit such sin again. This is not healthy & counter-productive behavior because even though they are already forgiven & blessed but they still judged themselves as unclean & condemned themselves as unforgiven. What a sad & wasteful situation, already blessed yet still behave as condemned unclean sinner. This is simply called stinking-thinking.

    In our gospel, Jesus made reference about forgiveable & unforgivable sins. To counter the bad thoughts of the scribes & in judging him as of unclean spirits, Jesus highlights that God forgives & can forgive all our sins. He said: “Truly, I tell you people will be forgiven for their sins & whatever blasphemies they will utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness but is guilty of eternal sin.”

    Meaning, God always forgives, but those who rejects God’s forgiveness is already condemned. Those who have already judged themselves unclean & does not allow God’s grace of mercy &  forgiveness to happen to them is unforgivable. Those who does not recognize, believe & trust in God’s blessings in Jesus is guilty of eternal sin & eternal damnation

    In other words, being unforgivable, condemned, & on eternal sin are of our own doing – not of God. Constant looking only on our sins & others’ faults – not trusting on God’s grace & mercy through the Holy Spirit, makes us a hopeless case & leads us to our demise & cursed life – not eternal life.

    Actually behind this stinking-thinking of being unworthy and unclean sinner is the sin of pride – the pride that their own sins are much greater than God’s grace. Or simply put, it is about the pride that their own is much greater than God’s. Jesus is also a victim of this pride, because they have judged him as of unclean spirits – of Beelzebul or Satan, that blinds them to see that Jesus is of God.

    And so, whenever we find ourselves stinking-thinking, beware of our Pride lurking in us that make us distrust & reject God’s grace. Pride makes ourselves unforgivable, unclean & condemned.

    Related to this is stinking-thinking that God’s salvation is only for the few deserving faithful & the rest are all condemned. We remember here that we are also to pray for Christian Unity. But why so we pray for the unity of all Christians in the world?

    Although we are united in faith with our Lord Jesus Christ, but in reality as Christians we are divided & diverse in terms of culture, traditions, practices & doctrines. This is not only then about Protestants, Evangelical, Catholics & other Christians, but more so about our unity as fellow believers & followers of our Lord Jesus Christ. It begs then the question what makes us one united with Christ. In Christ, we come to know & believe that we are God’s children.

    By our faith in Jesus, we become part of God’s family. But faith in Christ has diverse manifestations & expressions that might be in contrast & can cause discourses & conflict with one another. What we pray then for is unity not in uniformity but unity in conformity. It is not about sameness or exclusiveness of Christian faith but more on our openness to match our beliefs, actions, attitudes & perceptions with what is common in & in sync with our faith in Jesus Christ.

    In our gospel today, Jesus is conscious of the diversity of people wanting to follow Him & vying for His attention. Even his own family & bloodlines are insisting their own agenda & importance on Jesus. However, for Jesus what makes us one & common in Him is not by bloodline, adoption, influences, history and seniority, but by our obedience to the father’s will. He said: “For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother”.

    For Jesus then, our unity & commonality with Him is our obedience to God’s will. What makes us one with Jesus, makes us God’s children & common with one another in faith,  is our obedience to our Father,… same way as Jesus himself has always been obedient to the father’s will, regardless of how people believed in Him. Simply put, we cannot be God’s children,  of Jesus’ family (brother, sister, mother, relatives, church) if & when we do not recognize, believe & obey God our father & his will for us.

    Beyond our bad thoughts and stinking-thinking of condemning ourselves to sin with pride & of exclusively limiting God’s blessing to the few deserving, we pray that trusting more in God’s grace & plans for us, like Jesus & Mary Our Mother of Perpetual Help we may be one in common & in sync with our obedience to the Father’s will for us now & always.

    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.

  • Meal-Fellowship

    Meal-Fellowship

    June 2, 2024 – Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060224.cfm)

    In almost every Filipino homes there is a picture of Last Supper near the dining table. Have you ever wondered why in all places such picture of the Lord’s last supper is hanged near the dining table?

    This is because we, Filipinos love celebrations. We like to be part of big party or fiesta. Basically, we are meal-oriented people. We like to eat, and mealtimes are important and meaningful activity for us. Yes, we like to eat, but we like to eat TOGETHER. We eat not only for nourishment but for the fellowship as well. For us, eating is not only a usual routine of nourishing our own physical body, but also a common activity of strengthening relationship and bonding.

    That is why we eat together not for the food, but for the companionship and covenant it brings. Mealtime for us is not only the time to eat, but also the opportunity to encounter – to experience one another. This is why we don’t like to eat alone. We like to eat with companion, because for us, meals, eating, tables would mean celebrations, table-fellowship, sharing, bonding, rituals, and communion.

    The word ‘companion’ is an interesting word. It comes from two Latin words: cum which means “with”, and panis which means “bread”. So a ‘companion’ literally means someone whom I share bread with. And it is only a few (not all) you enjoy having meal with. There has to a bonding – a relationship first, which is deepened by the sharing of food and drink.

    Usually, by inviting a person to a meal, we seal our contracts, we show acceptance and approval. We know that once you are invited to take part in their table – to eat with them, it would mean that you are already accepted. You become one of them. You belong to them.

    This is why we like the picture of the Last Supper hanging on near our dinner table because we want to be part of Lord’s celebration of life. Taking our meals in front of the picture of the Last Supper, whatever the food is, whether lechon   or bulad or ginamos, would mean we want to be a companion of Jesus and his disciples in their party celebration.

    This is why it is also particularly difficult for us to not able to attend Holy Mass during pandemic & how insufficient it is, just to take part of the Holy Mass through the live-streaming. This is also why it is grave sin for us to miss & not attend Sunday Eucharist. In other words, we do like to renew and strength our faith-relationship with Him.

    We want to be accepted and belong to His community. We like to be part of His family-banquet, His party. And all of these are greatly done and signified until now in our table-fellowship in the Lord’s Eucharist, in our celebration of the Holy Mass.

    Today, we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ. Today, we recognize and celebrate Christ’s continuing Presence and His binding promise of love and redemption to us, through His gift of Himself in a form of bread and wine, and above all our taking part & our fellowship-party with Him in the banquet of our Christian faith & life.

    Our readings today remind us that as in life we feed ourselves with food, the Lord also feed us with His food, not only to nourish us but also to strengthen our covenant relationship with Him. Jesus in our gospel today especially has offered us His body and blood, as our inheritance of God’s manna in the Holy Eucharist.

    By sharing us Himself in body and blood, Jesus sealed us new covenant-relationship with God. And because of this, we are continually nourished by God’s graces and we are in communion with Christ’s eternal life. In other words, through His body and blood, Jesus is offering us not only God’s food for our faith-life journey but also a meal-time party (or a food trip) with God.

    That is why every time we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, we are in covenant or in companionship with God, with Jesus, and with one another. Thus, through our table-fellowship as family and community in our celebrations of the Lord’s Eucharist every Sunday and also as Filipino in front of the picture of the Lord’s Supper, we are united with the Lord and we take part with His glory and work of redemption.

    Perhaps if we say nowadays, “We are what we eat and who we eat with” (Tayo ay Kong ano ang kinain at sino ang kasama), in attending Eucharist, we as Christian proclaim that through the body and blood of Jesus we are having party-meal (food trip/ breaking bread) with God now and always.

    For those who are not able to receive communion during live-stream Masses, nowadays they would pray Act of Spiritual Communion of St. Alphonsus, saying “I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart… Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.”

    Such words express our deep desire to be in communion with Jesus, to be part and companion of His eucharistic sacred life.

    We pray that we may always be in communion & in companion with our risen Lord, be nourished by His body & blood, and be always united & bonded, not separated from His love & mercy.

    So Help Us God, So May it be. Amen.

  • Three-fold ONE

    Three-fold ONE

    May 26, 2024 – Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/052624.cfm)

    Once a team of mountain climbers were stranded almost near at the highest peak. As the air grew thin and weather got colder – that made them cold and weak, one of them made a fire. So, together they gather around the fire and contribute whatever they have to sustain the fire. As they started to enjoy the heat, they share food, as well as their stories and dreams with one another that in effect, sustain and inspire them again. One of them decided to be on his own. So, he took a fire of stick with him, and isolated himself from the group. Eventually, away from the group, his fire extinguished and he got sleepy and weak.

    With the team, we get strength and inspiration from one another. Away from the team, we get tired, weak, and dispirited.

    As Christians, we praise God in the name of  the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. We give glory to God Father, Son, Holy Spirit. We proclaim our creed of faith, saying: “I believe in God, the Father…in Jesus Christ… in the Holy Spirit.” At its very core, our Christian faith is Trinitarian – i.e. unlike any other religions, we uniquely believe in God, the Father-Son-Holy Spirit.

    As we honor today the Holy Trinity, perhaps now we ask: What does it mean to believe in the Trinitarian God?

    First, the word covenant simply would mean, “coming together”. As God making covenant with us, God wants to “come together for us/with us/in us”. In God the Father of Easter, we come to believe a “God-FOR us” who chooses us to be His own people. In God the Son of Christmas, we come to believe Emmanuel Jesus, a “God-WITH us” who makes known to us God’s love for us, and how to love God in return. In God the Holy Spirit of Pentecost, we come to believe a “God-IN us”, who inspires, directs, and sustains us in life of faith.

    To believe in the Holy Trinity then is to be in covenant with God, much as God is in covenant with us. Meaning, as God is for us/with us/in us, we must also be People for God, with God, and in God.

    Second, in the Lord’s ascension, we are reminded that the risen Lord is not-finished yet. His mission of salvation for us is still a work-in progress, and is now a product of the concerted-effort, teamwork of the communion of the Holy Trinity. Our salvation is the teamwork and actions OF our God, the Father who chooses us to be His own, THROUGH God the Son who is loving us always, and WITH the God the Holy Spirit who inspires, directs, and sustains us in life.

    To believe in the Holy Trinity is thus to be IN Communion with God. As God acts and works as one for our salvation, so also we must be in sync, in tune with God’s concerted teamwork for our salvation. Thus we not only to give glory to them but also we are to be in sync & teamwork  with the works OF the Father, THROUGH the Son, WITH the Holy Spirit for our salvation.

    Third, as the Lord mandated us to proclaim our faith to all nations, in our gospel today, he particularly challenges us to make disciples in the name of the Holy Trinity. Making disciples while proclaiming our faith to all nations would mean helping ourselves and one another to be in constant covenant with God, and in partnership-communion with God’s work of salvation for us.

    To believe in the Holy Trinity then is to lead our lives and faith as Church, a Community of faith. As God is and works as Community, we too must also be and acts as Church – a community of Christian faith, living and witnessing God’s being and acting in our lives.

    The Holy Trinity shows us as Church how to be and act as God’s own People. As much as God be and acts together, to have a Trinitarian faith we too must be and act in covenant, in communion and in community with God and one another.

    As Church then, we must be faithful people for God, with God, and in God – witnessing our faith in sync with the labor of the Father, through the Son, with the Holy, and living our lives as church community making disciples and proclaiming our faith.

    Remember “the community is the bearer of God’s Salvation”. Salvation thus happens in the context of the church, faith-community, and not of individuals. We are God’s own chosen PEOPLE, not chosen individual. We all are to be in covenant, in communion and in community with Him and His church.

    With the church, we are strong and inspired. Without and away from the church, we are weak and dispirited. We are to be with His TRIUNE, (Threefold ONE). As Pentecost marks the birth of our Church, be reminded that the Holy Trinity articulates what is & what our church should be.

    May we, as God’s own, not be separated from the Holy Trinity and God’s church, but instead always be connected and involved with God’s life and labors of salvation for all nations and peoples, now and always.

    So Be It. Amen.