Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Fr. Mario Masangcay, CSsR

  • Meeting Jesus

    Meeting Jesus

    March 12, 2023 – Third Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031223.cfm)

    Common rural village people teach us a simple wisdom: “If and when the well runs dry, dig deeper. (Kon ang atabay mahubsan, palawoman: Pag ang balon natuyo, hukayin ng malalim.) If we reflect on this deeper, these practical words tell us more about waters or wells but also offers meaning and wisdom about life, relationships, and even faith in God.

    We do know how important water is in our life. Water is our basic human need and our life-giving source itself. Our physical body as well as our world is mostly composed of water. Life without water is no life at all. Because of our need for water, wells and springs are also important in life as sources of life-giving water.  Unlike now in urban cities where it is enjoyed conveniently at home with tap water on the faucet, usually in rural villages, people have to go and gather in wells and springs just in order get and have water.

    In and through wells and springs, we get access to natural water that offers life not only to individuals but to the whole community, as well. Water from the wells and springs bring us together before God’s life-giving water and with one another.

    Usually wells and springs of the village is the best place to meet people in the village. Whenever I am on mission in rural areas, I usually go to the wells or springs in the village for meeting and integrating with people. Not only there where I could clean myself and drink water – satisfy my need, there I could also come to experience and know the people’s lives and faith more.  Simply put, water wells and springs bring about meeting, encounter, well-being, relationship, community, and communion. For us then, to have an access to and get in touch into God’s life-giving water, we must also go and gather together before God’s wells and springs.

    In life we also do 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 “Is the really Lord 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 could be an invitation and opportunity to go and be connected with God himself, the source of life. In our experiences of life’s dryness and thirst, As the saying goes “If & when the well runs dry, dig deeper” “Kon ang atabay mahubsan, palawoman. Pag ang balon natuyo, hukayin ng malalim.  Thirst for God’s love and/or Dryness in our life and relationships could also be the opportunity to dig 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 for ourselves our relationship and commitment with others and with God.

    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 in Him. 

    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 wellsprings of our Christian life. It is the appropriate place and time to once again in 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 you deeply, love you more dearly and follow you closely during this another new Lenten Season of our Christian faith & life. Amen.

  • God’s AGENDA First

    God’s AGENDA First

    March 5, 2023 – Second Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030523.cfm)

    Coming back from the desert, a holy man was once asked to describe his experience of God. People asked him, “Tell us, how does God look like? How do we recognize God?” But the holy man was so confused, for how can he express to them his experience of God from his heart. Is it possible to articulate to them his God experience in few words? So, he decided to teach them a simple prayer to describe his God experience in the desert, knowing also that this prayer is limited and incomplete. He hoped however that through this simple prayer, people may become more open to experience God for themselves. People then accepted such prayer readily, made it sacred and holy devotion, teach and impose it on others, and preach it to other nations. Some even gave up their lives to spread devotion to this Prayer to other people.

    However, concerned about what happened, the holy man eventually regretted his actions because many things have been done already to his simple yet incomplete prayer, except to help people experience and encounter God for themselves. He realized eventually that it would have been better if he did not speak at all but stayed silent, than give people a few words of prayer. 

    True enough, we do aspire to know and experience God. Like the people in our story, through prayer, we hope to encounter God’s presence in our lives, since prayer is all about our meeting with God. Prayer is our chance to experience God in our own lives. Meaning, prayer is not only our spoken-words and actions-done to express our needs, wants and desires for God, but moreso, prayer is our way & chance for God to reveal, make himself known, and be experienced by us. 

    Our readings today describe to us what Prayer really is. In our first reading, we come to learn that by listening to God’s will, Abram in prayer received God’s promise of salvation. In our gospel, by accompanying Jesus in prayer, the disciples witnessed and experienced God’s presence & glory.

    Meaning, in prayer we come to experience God, and it is our encounter with Him. Our experience of God (what happens) then matters most than the methods and words we used in prayer. Words and the manner of praying are just then but helps or avenues towards experiencing God through prayer.

    But usually while praying, we become more concerned about the Hows (methods) – on what is the righteous thing to do or say for us to experience God, and like Martha, on what do we have to do or say before the Lord. Remember, however: What God say to us is more important that what we say to Him.” What God wants from us and for us is more important than what we want from Him. What God does to us is more important than what we do to Him.

    In others words, God’s presence and glory is more important than our presence and glory. Simply put, while praying, God’s agenda and business are more important than our own agenda and business.

    Like for instance, while praying the rosary, we do find ourselves at times tired and sleepy or sleeping. And then we find ourselves guilty for losing track or not completing our rosary. Consider perhaps that God is more concerned with our tired souls than completing our rosary. While praying, God is more concern about taking care of our tired and weary souls than we finishing off our rosary. OR at times, while we are praying the Lord’s prayer, we distracted and bothered with the word: “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sinned against us” because we are reminded of people who have hurt and pained us, as well as of people we have hurt and pained. Consider perhaps that those hurtful memories are the very agenda and business God wants us to address at that very moment to be eventually forgiven and healed.    

    Prayer and praying usually lead us into quiet and silence of our heart, eventually for us to become more open to God’s agenda and business as well as God’s presence. Abram in our first reading and the disciples during the Lord’s transfiguration experienced God’s glory and became sensitive to God’s will because they prayed in silence and open enough to be changed by God’s agenda and business for them.

    This Lenten Season, the Holy Church calls us to pray. And in the many ways and words we pray, be reminded that these prayers are just ways and means, but great help and aid for us to experience for ourselves God’s presence and will for us these days. Through our silent prayerful listening anew to God’s word & agenda for us these days is our sure path into our redemption towards God’s glory. In response to our Father’s call to Listen to His beloved Son, through our prayer in silent listening, may we be more open and sensitive to experience God’s presence and revelations – greater and better things God in store for us in life after pandemic. Amen.

  • Overcoming Temptations

    Overcoming Temptations

    February 26, 2023 – First Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022623.cfm)

    “What would you do if your boss offers you big amount of money and promises you a high-paying and much better job position, if you only betray your innocent supervisor and bear false witness against him in court for money-laundering?”, a priest once asked his three friends.

    The first friend answered, “No, I will not take the money and the tempting offer.” The priest said, “You are foolish stupid man.” The second friend retorted, “Well, Yes, I will take the offer. I will not waste such remarkable opportunity.” The priest said, “You are devious crook”. The third friend replied, “Well, I really don’t know what to do? Will I overcome my evil inclinations? OR, Will my evil inclinations overcome me to claim for myself what is not mine and to do what should not be done? I really don’t know. But if God will bless me and strengthen me to go against all my evil inclinations, I will not accept the money and offer of my corrupted boss.   The priest then said, “You are right, and you are a good wise man.”

    Everytime we pray the Lord ’s Prayer “Our Father”, we specifically ask the Lord to lead us not into temptation. This is because in our experience, temptations are very real in life. Dealing with temptations that comes our way – always challenging and testing our faith, values, and principles in life, is part and parcel of our daily struggles. Nobody among us here can claim that we are never been tempted or burdened by temptations in life. Each one of us in one way or another, had dealt, has been dealing and still dealing with a few temptations in our day lives.

    Perhaps we may somehow have three options in dealing with life-temptations: We may Get-rid, Get-into, or Get-through temptations in life.

    First, we may Get rid of life-temptations. Whenever confronted with temptations, here we may resist, fight with, and fly from these temptations. In overcoming our evil inclinations and life-temptations, here we do it on our own. The priest called the first friend as stupid and foolish man because he chooses to deal with (get rid of) temptation on his own. He doesn’t know himself – believing that he is strong enough to resist and deal with temptation on his own. No one, maybe except Jesus, has ever overpowered temptations in life. Usually, temptations overcome us not because we are weak but because we are too proud to think that we are strong enough to overcome temptations. Getting rid of temptations is a stupid and foolish option.

    Second, we may Get into the temptations. Whenever confronted, we just get into and allow ourselves to submit and be overcome by temptations itself. We do nothing ourselves but be corrupted by temptations – hurting not only others but also ourselves along the way. The priest called the second friend an opportunistic criminal because he opts to get into temptations – willingly claim what he is not due him, and do wrongdoing, without any qualms whatsoever. For such kind of men, temptations are opportunities for them to take advantage of others for their own benefits and glory. Getting into temptation is a crooked criminal approach to temptation.

    Third, we may Get through of temptations in life. Here whenever we are confronted with temptations in life, we willingly face and struggle along with these temptations – aware that on our own we are weak and limited, but also we steadfastly believe in God’s power with us to overcome such temptations. The priest praised the third as good and wise man because he knows that like all of us, we are basically weak people. He hopes that amid temptations, he will be strong enough to do what is right and his part. But he also knows that he can only do this with God’s help and strength, and he is most willing to ask and pray for it. He knows that in dealing with life-temptations, there is always a struggle within as well as reliance in God’s help. Getting through temptations is a good and wise option.  

    Easy for us indeed to fall into temptations. The biggest problem in dealing with temptations is our lack of self-knowledge, our lack of recognizing and overcoming the evil within ourselves. We struggle with the evils of others and in our society but the toughest struggle is to acknowledge and overcome the evil within our own selves, the evil in our own hearts. We were born with conflicting goodness and evil within. That is why we can be good and can do good. But not easily, since there are always tensions and struggles within ourselves. Moreover, we can only withstand these difficulties, if we are wise enough to rely not only in our strength but in God’s help and power.

    If we think we can overcome these life-temptations and evils only by and through own strength and power, we are surely wrong and are doomed to failure for we don’t have the power and capacity to resist temptations. But like Jesus, if we are wise enough to be God-centered to acknowledge and ask for, and rely on God’s help and strength, we surely can overcome evils and temptations in others as well as within ourselves.

    Notice Satan mainly tempts us in life in order to prove to God that we don’t care about God and others but only care about ourselves. Temptations usually happen then whenever we only selfishly care about ourselves, not about God and others. But through our faith and reliance in God’s help and power over temptations, we prove Satan wrong and proclaim our Love and Care for God and others.

    In praying then to God not to lead us into temptations, we pray to God to guide us through not in getting rid or getting into but in getting through life-temptations because we care not about ourselves, but we care more about God and others in life.

    Father, lead us then not into temptation.

  • All-Ready LOVE

    All-Ready LOVE

    February 19, 2023 – Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021923.cfm)

    In the comedy film Evan Almighty, God said to Evan Baxter: “If you want to change the world, build an ARK.” Only later after the fuss of exactly building a big ark that Evan Baxter realized that an ark simply means: one single act of random kindness at a time, i.e. one single ARK (act of random kindness) at a time.

    Days after Valentine’s Day, with all the decorations around us, we could say that until now, love is still in the air or we still got valentines’ day hang-overs upon us. Valentine’s Day is the day we honor and celebrate LOVE as we experience it in Life.

    Human as we are, we know how it is to love and be loved by others. We celebrate Valentine’s Day because we live life with love, in love and out of love. We know that Life without love is worthless. Though it’s a constant challenge, living life then with love, in love and out of love make life more meaningful.

    In our gospel today, while preaching to His disciples His Sermon on the Mount, we get a glimpse of Jesus’ take on our experience of love in life. Here He invites us that in our loving, we must “love our enemies, go another mile, offer your cloak and other cheek as well and be perfect as our Father”. Surely, we are already familiar with these words, which are nice words to listen. But easily falls into deaf-ears and slogans because they are difficult to practice. The kind of love Jesus is asking us here are very unusual and demanding, and even Stupid Love, as Salbakuta (Filipino rap-band) would say.

    Jesus knows already that human as we are, we are loved and loving people. But now he requires us to go beyond with our human ways of loving and follow His and God’s way of loving, i.e. Christian Love: To love one another AS (like, same as) He and the Father has loved us. 

    But why is Christian Love, the love Jesus requires of us, is difficult and demanding in our experience of love in life? What makes LOVING AS JESUS LOVES, unusual, hard, and tough, and even stupid?

    Though we live life with love, in love and out of love, human as we are, we do have the tendency to place love at the distance both in place and time. We place love at the distance in time, because we are more willing to postpone doing good than do bad things right away. Easy for us to delay faith, hope and love but attend readily to fear, greed and anger. Why only during Valentine’s Day you remember and celebrate that you are loving and loved, and that you need love in life?  Yes, we do tend to postpone love, but we also know in our experience of love that love is for Now or Never.

    We also tend to place love at the distance in place. We rather love others from a distance and at a distance. Why is it that we have more virtual friends in Facebook and others social media than our actual intimate personal friends? Why is it that we are more open, chatty, and relax in Facebook and messengers but silent and awkward face to face with others? This is because we are afraid to love because love makes us vulnerable, exposed, and weak before others. However, if we are afraid to love then it is not Love but Fear.

    In other words, though we tend to distance from love, Love really is Here and Now, not There and Later.  

    For Jesus then, Christian love, to love and be loved like His and the Father’s, is Here and Now – not there and later, not at a distance and from a distance. Love for Jesus then is and should be an All-READY LOVE – an ARK, act of random kindness. This is the kind of Love Jesus requires us to live and practice in life in the here & now. If we want to change our world with Love, we must change our love into Christian love by building our love into ARK – by living in one simple Act of Random Kindness at a time.

    Unusual, difficult, tough, and stupid it maybe, Loving others same AS (like) Jesus and the Father love us in the here & now, & not there & later, leads us to our redemption towards God’s presence in our lives.

    May we be known as Christians, by our love here & now.  Amen.

  • SPIRIT-Behind

    SPIRIT-Behind

    February 12, 2022 – 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021223.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 we who are meek, humble, merciful, righteous, and sensitive 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 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 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 now then for us?

    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, now what are we to do to respond and be converted and practice His gospel into our lives?

    Surely for Jesus, it is more than just keeping the Ten Commandments or observing the Torah, 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 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.

    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 Christian. 

    Meaning, far beyond the practice (living out) the values of God’s Kingdom, there must be 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 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 about your spirituality nowadays. 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. 

    So May It Be. Kabay Pa. Amen.