Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Fr. Mario Masangcay, CSsR

  • OUR LIFE TO-BE

    OUR LIFE TO-BE

    August 7, 2022 – 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080722.cfm)

    Once in a dream, a rich man found himself at the heaven’s door and welcomed with VIP treatment by two nice angels. As he was about to be brought to his house in heaven, he was fetched by a long white limousine with all the amenities, and was driven through a high-class subdivision. Along the way, he saw that his once-poor squatter neighbors are now living in big nice houses in heaven. Like, his laundry woman resides in a nice cozy house, his gardener has a big lawn, his former driver lives on a bungalow, and his maid now lives on a condominium. Thinking these poor neighbors have made well in heaven, he also thought that his home in heaven would be a big mansion, since he has been their master and better off than them.

    As they arrived, they stopped in front of a very big nice mansion.  The rich man, however was led thru the mansion’s side gate, and eventually into cardboard box shanty at the back of the big mansion. The angels then said: “Welcome to your home in heaven”. He was so disappointed and disgusted to a point that he yelled at them, “What? A cardboard box shanty? I don’t deserve this.” The angels replied, “Sorry, Sir, this shanty is only what we can prepare for you from the materials and contributions you have sent here”.

    Deep inside, yes, we do long to be reunited with God. We hope, and it is our heart’s desire that one day we will be one and at home with our Heavenly Father sharing with Him eternal life in our heavenly home. But while we are still here in this earthly life, like that rich man and that foolish maidservant in our gospel, it is easy for us to enjoy and be contented – or be more anxious and occupied with life here and now that we tend to forget what we really hope and long for in life.

    Because of our life-concerns in the here and now, it is easy for us to be more confident only with ourselves, forgetting God, even acting like-God, doesn’t anymore care of others except oneself, and fully enjoying the pleasures of earthly life. Meaning, we become more concern and greedy in amassing earthly treasures that we don’t anymore recognize and value heavenly treasures. 

    Here in our gospel today, Jesus reminds us of what really matters to God and the true treasures in life, and that is our life to be with Him – our everlasting life with Him in God’s Kingdom. He challenges us to “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven”, that is, to seek and strive for the true treasures in heaven…for where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” This would mean that, rather than amassing earthly treasures in life, we must value and be concerned in preparation about our heavenly treasures in the here and now.

    For Jesus, our life now and our life to-be is not about building up our status and wealth in life, but it is about building up our faith relationship with God. Like the faith of Abraham and Sarah, our faith in God, our faith-relationship with God is our true treasures – our true heart’s desire. Such faith in Him will surely bring us into our salvation, into our heavenly home, for God loves to share His graces to all, especially those who have faith in Him.

    As we are still living on this life while hoping for eternal life, our nearest experiences of heaven here on earth are moments when we love and serve those who are in need, and when we trustingly fulfill what God entrusted and required of us in life. For he said, “much will be required of the person entrusted with much and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more”. Yes, God gives each of us a required-task to fulfill, an entrusted-mission to accomplish in life. And doing our part in fulfilling our life-tasks and life missions here and now, with love and service of others is our contribution in building up our home and treasures in heaven.

    We are called Christians because of our faith in Jesus Christ. We are Christians with faith in Jesus Christ, not only because we recognize and believe in Him, but also because we long and hope for the fulfillment of His message and promise of God’s Salvation into our lives. And as we long for the true treasures in life – our heavenly home, let us be vigilant and prepare for the fulfillment of His promise and learn how to build up, nurture and share our faith and blessings with others.

    As pandemic times compel us nowadays to think about the meaning & value of life, may we never separated from what is most important and valuable in life – our faith in God, and may we never be wearied in accomplishing our missions in life – building up our home with God. Amen.

  • Shareware

    Shareware

    July 31, 2022 – 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/073122.cfm)

    Somehow, we may discern about two types of leaders and leaderships nowadays: the go-getting and go-giving leadership, or the go-getters and the go-giving leaders. Both share the same passion, but differ in motivations.

    Go-getters are leaders who aspire, work, and strive on things in order to GET – that is, to acquire, accumulate, possess, own, and have things only for themselves; while go-givers are leaders who aspire, work and strive on things in order to GIVE and to share things with others. The big differences here are the motivation, objective, and beneficiaries of leadership. Go-getting leadership is motivated by GREED while Go-giving leadership is motivated by SERVICE. Go-getters are more concerned of themselves, and aiming for hoarding power and wealth, while go-givers are more concerned with others, aiming for sharing power and wealth.  Go-getting promote individualism, selfishness, self-centeredness, consumerism, materialism, and greed, while go-giving promote community, other-centeredness, selflessness, inter-relationship and service. In other words. Go-getters do everything to get what they want, while go-givers do everything to share what they have.

    Our modern high-tech western world today has obviously promoted go-getter leaders. In our schools, government, workplace, business, media world and even in our church, go-getters have been recognized and praised. People nowadays prefer go-getter leaders, who have a lot of everything – money, influence, power, connections, latest gadgets, and cars. We can sense go-getters mentality in the air. Slogans like: “obey your thirst”, “why settle for less”, “satisfy your cravings”, “be an addict”, “go for the best”, “be a millionaire” are just few of its catchwords.  Go-getters are clearly personified by “Gollum”, a character in the Lord of the Rings. He does everything for His precious, even to the point of murder, betrayal, and deception. All his life was directed toward getting back the ring, his precious. 

    Although the go-getter mentality is the promoted in-thing craze nowadays, we cannot deny that we, Filipino by our culture are go-givers. It is our nature to do anything in order to share what we have. Everything that we have is not only for own selves, but for others to share.

    It is only here in the Philippines that have the concept of bring house. We do not only attend parties but we also extend it to others who are not able to attend by bringing them some food – to make them part of the party. It is only here in the Philippines that have the concept of PasaLoad, or Share a Load. Imagine, sharing your telephone bills with others. Same way with Balikbayan box. Until now, foreigners have a hard time understanding Filipinos saving and sending goods to Philippines where you could now get anywhere. For we know that those goodies are not for themselves but for others to share – for lolo, lola, igsoon, utod, barkada, neighbors and others. Best example for this is the “eat-all-you-can” spree in restaurants. Although tempting and reasonable, it did not work well because of its “no sharing, no left-overs, no bring house” policy. Yes, Filipinos like to eat, but we like to eat with others. It’s not the food but the fellowship, agape, salusalo, punsyon in eating, whatever the food there is, that matters most.

    Jesus in our gospel today openly criticized go-getter leadership and mentality in the world.  He reminds us that life and God’s grace are meant to be shared with others and not to be hoarded for oneself. Go-getter, amassing power, and wealth for oneself are all meaningless – vanity of vanities, does not bring lasting happiness in life.

    For Jesus, what God has given us is not only for ourselves but for us to share with others. God’s graces are Shareware, not private property, intended not for your own reign but God’s reign.

    While our world today advocates Go-getting leadership, as Filipino Christians, we must be Go-giving & Go-givers in life and in God’s kingdom. Remember as the Lord once said: ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. And store up for yourself treasures in heaven.”

    Let us then seek what is essential and righteous before God, and go-give & share with others for that gives us life, happiness and meaning. Amen

  • LAMBING

    LAMBING

    July 23, 2022 – 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072422.cfm)

    A funny story once told about a man who was so envious about the faith & prayer life of his poor neighbor. Whenever he meets this elderly devoted neighbor, he would always test at a point of insulting her faith. Sometimes, he even would say, “your prayers and devotion do not lead you anywhere but more frustrations”. The old neighbor would just smile and keep her silence.

    One day, he overheard his poor neighbor praying this way, “Lord Jesus, you taught us to ask for our daily bread. You know my food supply is just enough for this day. My hard-up son has not yet sent me something for tomorrow. I believe you know what is best for me. If it is your will, Lord, grant me what I need as you have always provided me. May your will be done.” After hearing this, the man went to the grocery and bought some food supply. Then, next day, he went to his neighbor’s house, put a bagful of grocery outside the door, hides behind somewhere and waited for his neighbor’s reaction. When the neighbor found the bag outside, she was happy and all praise to God for the graces before her. Suddenly, the man interfered and said, “Aha, got you. That bag of food is not from your God but from Me. See, your God doesn’t care for you”. In response, The old neighbor just loudly prayed, “Lord, many thanks for these graces you have given me here today… and for letting my good neighbor pay for it”.

    Praying to God has always been part of our life. And in our efforts in praying, there will always a discontent within us with the way we pray – that somehow there is something missing or kulang in the way we pray, and we don’t know what and how. There is always a desire and longing for the best way of praying. Deep inside, we cry: “Lord, teach us how to pray”.

    Our readings today are all about prayer, and teaching us how to pray. In our first reading, we hear Abraham made a persistent appeal to Yahweh in behalf of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah to be spared from His judgment. Jesus in our gospel today did not just teach his disciples what to pray but described them prayer as asking, seeking, and knocking for what we need from God. Meaning, prayer is our humble and trusting but persistent expression of our appeals, requests – of our heart’s desire to God before His presence. In other words, our readings today are teaching us that prayer is basically our LAMBING, paanga  or “Pamaraig” to God, our Father – our Tatay. 

    Here, we are also reminded that God always listens to our prayers. God as our parent wants to listen to our heart’s desire. He knows and understands our needs and concerns, while he also wants us to come near Him and show our lambing – “pamaraig” to Him. Also, God always answer our prayers in His own time and ways. Yes, sometimes we feel frustrated with God for not answering our prayers. But the same way we experience our parents, God seems silent or passive with our prayers but actually he is discerning and planning what is best for us, better than what we prayed for. We are only to express our prayers – our pamaraig persistently, wait patiently and trusting that not long for now we receive more and better than what we expected.  Like what happened with the story, God has His own ways and time to grant our prayers. God always listens and answers our prayer in His own time and ways, (and perhaps allow others to pay for it. 😉)

    For Jesus, it is not our desires, longings, needs, hungers, and cravings but it is LAMBING : our persistency, patient waiting and trust and confidence in God, our Father that matters. Remember in praying to God, it is not what we pray but how we pray it, not what we ask from but how we ask it from Him that matters. It is the manner of prayer, the pamaraig: the asking, seeking, and knocking that is significant, and not the content or outcome what you ask and seek. “For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

    Regardless of the what grace & how blessings are given, we now express our lambing/prayer to our Tatay-Father who loves us so dearly.

  • Grieving yet Persevering Faith

    Grieving yet Persevering Faith

    July 22, 2022 – Feast of St. Mary of Magdala

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072222.cfm)

    Lately, we could say we suffered great losses during these pandemic times. Somehow almost all of us have lost in one way or the other, someone or something significant in life. And usually, our experience of great loss could dishearten, discourage & even disorient us in life. Losing someone & something significant in life could somehow cause us to lose our heart and our way in life.

    Mary Magdalene must have also felt the same way when she lost her beloved Lord Jesus in her life. Somehow when Jesus died on the cross, Mary Magdalene lost also her heart and her way to a point where she did not & cannot anymore recognize the presence of the risen Lord with her.

    However, in our great loss & suffering, Mary Magdalene could also teach us how to experience resurrection in our lives. Amidst her suffering & loss, eventually Mary Magdalene also have witnessed & experienced anew the calling, presence, & challenge of our risen Lord with her. By allowing herself to weep & grieve over her losses, and persevering in love in times of losing her heart & way, Mary have experienced anew the voice, the heart & the way of the risen Lord. In the same way, in times of great loss & suffering, like Mary Magdalene, we may also witness anew the presence & life of resurrection with the risen Lord by not denying, but allowing our grieving over our losses while persevering in our faith & love with our Lord.

    Remember Mary Magdalene renewed her heart, her ways & her faith, because she witnessed Lord’ resurrection & the presence of the risen Lord anew, as she allowed herself to weep & grieve over her losses and persevere & keep her love & faith in Jesus Christ. In effect, Mary Magdalene became not only the “Apostle of the Apostles” but also the first witness, sharer & proclaimer of the Lord’s resurrection & the presence of our risen Lord in our midst today.

    So also, whatever we are grieving over these days caused by the losses & sufferings of pandemic times, like Mary Magdalene, let us be open with our persevering love & faith to go through our weeping & grieving, as so make us recognize & witness what better life has our risen Lord in store for our life ahead.

    So Be it. So May it be. Amen.

  • Quality Common Relationships

    Quality Common Relationships

    July 17, 2022 – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/071722.cfm)

    Once, a mother approached and asked me for advice regarding her growing children. She was so worried about her children who according to her becoming irresponsible. One comes home late at night without any permission. Her teenage daughter doesn’t anymore go to mass with them, but spend more time with her non-Christian boyfriend. One likes to go out often, as if not anymore living with them. She even suspects that her son is involved now with drugs and drinks. All her children now know how to answer back and not so serious with their studies. In her frustration, she asked me “Father, what have I done wrong? We do everything for them to have a better life. My husband and I work seriously to provide them good nourishment, education, and lifestyle. But how come it happened this way?”

    As for my advice, I told her: “yes, it is true, Maam that it is hard to parent growing children. A number of families nowadays are into such difficulty. But may I ask you, do you have common activities as family?” She was so confused with the question, so I asked her: “Do you have meals, pray, and recreation together as family?” She replied, “That’s impossible for us because we are busy with our work. Our children also have their own different schedules and friends that is why usually we cannot be together during meals, prayers, or activities.” Then I told her, “Maam maybe that is what is missing in your family life. You don’t give time to one another. You become so busy with your own individual activities in serving one another that you forget to whom and why are you serving. You have wasted the time and opportunity to intimately experience and know one another as family.”

    If we reflect deeply in our lives today, it could happen that we become so pre-occupied with our concerns FOR our family, that we don’t have anymore time WITH one another. Yes, it is true that whatever we do is for God and others, especially for our family. But it could happen that we hide ourselves with our work and activities, so that our relationship becomes cold and shallow. It could happen, like that mother, because of our own individual concerns and responsibilities in life, our relationships with others becomes cold and shallow, no more bonding and love for one another.

    Just like in our gospel today. Martha and Mary must have felt great joy and privilege when Jesus paid them a home-visit. Martha was right to do what should be done – to do things right in order to welcome and accommodate their honored guest. However, because of her great worry and concern to do things right for Jesus, Martha missed the right thing to do before the Lord’s presence, which is to be with Jesus: to listen to the Good News the Lord is intending to share with them in his visit, and to have a quality and common time with them. Meaning, beyond their hospitality, Jesus expects from them an opportunity for friendship and bonding with them. He needs more than just their humble service and hospitality but to enjoy and celebrate their love and friendship with Jesus. Thus, Jesus rebuked Martha when she complained about Mary, to remind her that what matters is not her lack or excess of service, or her responsibility or Mary’s irresponsibility, but such humble service and responsibility to Him should be born out of their intimate relationship with Jesus and with one another.

    As Christians, in the same way, our humble service to others, our responsibility to one another must grow out of our faith relationship in Jesus, not of our human endeavors. Our salvation then is primarily God’s grace or gift to us that doesn’t only require our response of humble service, but more so gives us the opportunity to experience, unite and be intimate and one with God and one another. Yes, to follow Christ is indeed a responsibility. But responsibilities are built out of and based on our relationships. What matters in life, then are our relationships with God and one another over & above than our responsibilities to each other. And doing the right thing in our relationship is more noble and important than doing things right responsibly.

    In every relationship there is corresponding responsibilities. But fulfilled responsibilities are meaningless if and when it is not grounded on our quality and intimate relationship.

    Perhaps, we ask ourselves: “if and when God pay you a home visit, what would you do? How would you respond? Will you be listening to Him and of His agenda for His visit? Or will you be busy or occupied with responsibilities to do things right than to do the right things with Him?

    Perhaps our life amidst Covid Pandemic nowadays challenge us to improve the Quality of our family, social & faith life as we cope & do our part in rebuilding of our lives during these trying times.

    Brothers and sisters, as we follow Jesus in our lives anew, like Mary, may we build up & strengthen our common relationships with Him and one another by spending quality time to listen, experience and grow intimately with one another, as Filipino Christian family, nation, & church. So May it Be. Amen.