Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Fr. Mario Masangcay, CSsR

  • EMMANUEL

    EMMANUEL

    August 17, 2025 – 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081725.cfm)

    “The Lord be with you” and we normally nowadays reply: “And with your spirit”, – where decades ago we used to reply: “And also with you.” As Christians, we usually use these words of greetings as our recognition & faith of God’s presence in our midst & in one another. But what does it mean?

    A priest once celebrated Eucharist in his own parish church. As he was about to greet these words to the people, he was not able to broadcast, because there is something wrong with the microphone’s connections. While tapping its cord, he eventually regains contact. But unfortunately, instead of the usual “the Lord Be with you”, he loudly broadcasts to the people: “There is something wrong with the microphone”. And the people reply: “And with your spirit”.

    Funny story it might be, but it is also telling us something – that sometimes we need to hear the words differently for us to fully appreciate and understand its meaning.

    This is what Jesus is also doing when he said the disturbing message in our gospel today, “I have come to set the earth on fire and I wish it were already blazing; I have come not to establish peace but division.” For the apostles and for us to fully understand the value and consequences of discipleship – of following Him, Jesus has to present us the Good News differently – somewhat off and disturbing so that we may fathom the height, width and depth of its meaning.

    For instance, “The Lord be with … And also with you” usual greeting. Surely we are familiar with those words. But come to think of it, though mistakenly said, but somehow it is not totally false that we may also say that there is something wrong with us & with our spirit. Yes, in almost all liturgies and prayers we celebrate, we hear and speak those words. But what does it really mean?

    First, It’s a great Honor and Privilege. We should feel then happy and great that the Lord is here with you and I – with us. Remember the first and primary good news of peace, love and hope ever preached are those words: “the Lord is with You”.

    But do we really feel great joy and be honored hearing and speaking those words? Are we excited to hear and proclaim it? Or upon hearing and saying those words, we only say: “OK lang”, like “Ya, sounds familiar – We have heard it before, so what’s the fuss?” Like youngsters nowadays might say: “the Lord be with you? OK, fine, whatever”.

    Second, It’s personal and intimate. The Lord is WITH YOU. He is with you near (up close and personal).

    But do you really want Him to be nearby and near with you – OR would rather have Him far distant and away from you (who comes in handy only when needed)? Would you rather have Him as your buddy companion KASAMA, OR your usual “suking” gasoline station, (handy only when empty & needed)?

    Third, It’s communal. He is not only with You but with all of Us. He dwells among us, and lives and stays with Us. He is with and in each and everyone of us (good and bad alike).

    But do we want Him to be with others & respect His presence with other than ourselves – OR do we prefer that he is exclusively with you and your family or group but not with the outcasts and rejected or your competitors and enemies?

    Fouth, It’s a Great Task and Responsibility. To welcome Him into our lives demands responsibility and total dedication. Meaning to accept, recognize and believe in the Good News that “the Lord is with you” is Metanoia – to be converted (to completely change your own ways and style of life and be patterned into His own faith and life).

    This is the cost of welcoming and following Jesus into our lives. Christian Discipleship would cost us a lot, for life with Him will be different & never be the same again. Once you recognize & welcome Him to be with You, you cannot but change your ways & lifestyle. Perhaps that’s the reason why sometimes we don’t take those words: “the Lord be with you” seriously for we know that if we do so, there will division, tensions, disharmony and conflict within ourselves and with others, due to all the changes it entails following Jesus demands of us.

    For those who have seen the movie Spiderman 1, its simple message is “Great power comes with great responsibility”. In the same way, to believe in & follow Jesus Christ – the Lord with us is a Great personal and communal Power, Honor and Privilege but also comes with Great Responsibility.

    Somehow this is what Jesus is trying to say to us when he said: “I have come to set fire on earth, and how I wish it where already blazing.” Indeed, there might be at times something wrong with us in life & spirit; both as the announcer/proclaimer (priest broadcasting: there is something wrong…) & listeners/receivers (people responding: and with your spirit) of the message.

    But the good news and message remain always the same: EMMANUEL – the God with us… was with us, is with us and will always be with us – Whatever, however, whoever & whenever we might be.

    We pray then that we Christians may remain be shaken & disturbed by the deeper meaning of Lord’s gospel, so that we may be more Jesus-like in being passionately responsible for the Good News of Emmanuel – God being with us.

    So May It Be. Amen.

  • HOME with God

    HOME with God

    August 10, 2025 – 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081025.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 much 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 shack 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 shack 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, does not 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 of what really the true treasures in life, and that is our life to be with Him – our everlasting life with Him at Home 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 – our Home with God. 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.

    Since 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 this 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 has given each of us a required-task to fulfill, an entrusted-mission to accomplish in this 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 in this life.

    Our recent experience of pandemic surely has compelled us nowadays to reflect & think anew about the meaning & value of life. We pray then that, may we never be 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 for our HOME with God.

    So May It Be. Amen.

  • KAPWA

    KAPWA

    August 3, 2025 – 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080325.cfm)

    Once I came across a lesson about leadership. It simply says that there are two kinds of leaders: the go-getters and go-givers. Go-getters are leaders who aspire, work and strive on things in order to GET, which 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-getters are motivated by GREED while Go-givers are motivated by SERVICE. Go-getter 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-getters promote, self-centeredness, individualism, greed, consumerism, selfishness, and materialism, while Go-givers promote community, service, other-centeredness, selflessness, and inter-relationship. In other words, Go-getters do everything to get what they want, while Go-givers do everything to give & share what they have.

    Our modern high-tech western world today has obviously promotes go-getters leaders. In our schools, government, workplace, business, media world and even in our church, Go-getters has been recognized and praised. People nowadays prefer Go-getter leaders, who have a lot of everything – money, influence, cars, power, connections, and latest gadget. 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”, “mabilis cash” 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 ring, 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 in-thing & promoted nowadays, we cannot deny that we, Filipino by our culture are Go-givers. Because of our Filipino philosophy of “KAPWA”, 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.

    This is why we Filipinos can more identify with the hero Frodo Baggin’s close friend & companion, Sam (or Samwise Gamgee) who does & will do everything for the sake of his friend & of the fellowship.

    Consider, it is only here in the Philippines that have the concept of bring house (or might be known as “Balutin mo..). We do not only attend parties but we also extend it to others who are not able to attend it 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 get & buy anywhere locally. For we know that those goodies are not for themselves but for others to share – for lolo, lola, igsoon, barkada, neighbors and others. Best example for this is the “eat-all-you-can” meal spree in restaurants. Although tempting and reasonable, it did not work well with Filipinos 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 is not the lavish or limited food, but the fellowship in eating whatever the food available at the table.

    Surely 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 is all meaningless – vanity of vanities, does not bring lasting happiness in life. For Jesus then, 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 but public consumption, intended not for your own reign but God’s reign. 

    This is what Jesus warning us in today’s gospel, when he exhorts, “Be on your guard, and avoid every kind of greed, even though you have many possessions, it is not that which gives you life.” This reminds us that we should beware and vigilant of our human tendency for greed of any forms – much more if we take advantage of the greediness of others.

    Like what Jesus said to his disciples, “things that make people fall into sin are bound to happen, but how terrible for the one who makes them happen! It would be better for him if a large millstone were tied around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch what you do!” (Lk 17:1-3). In other words, beware of greedy  go-getter people as well as of promoters & advocates of go-getting leadership.

    While our world today advocates Go-getters, Filipino Christians must be Go-givers in life and in God’s kingdom. Remember what Jesus directed us, in Mt 6:33 “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you,” and in My 6:20-21 “store up for yourself treasures in heaven… for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

    Let us then seek what is essential and righteous before God, for that gives life and happiness now and always.

    So May It Be. Amen.

  • GOD, our Parent

    GOD, our Parent

    July 27, 2025 – 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072725.cfm)

    We come to know God as creator. We believe that He creates and still creating everything in the world. We affirm that He creates and wills everything that happens and happening in life. But what kind of creator God is? How do we view and consider Him as our creator?

    Too often, God is regarded as a Builder God, who plans, schemes, designs, engineers, produces, reproduces, develops, improves and maintains all creatures and creation. In other words, he is a single-minded creator who straightforwardly constructs towards the achievement of His objectives and the realization of the finished-product. Meaning, if God say something will happen or will something to happen, it will happen no matter what. 

    While this idea have some basis in the Bible, it can be taken to extremes and lead to a fatalistic view of life like: “God is going to do what He is going to do and wills what going to happen ever since before, and until now and forever… regardless of what I do, what happens to us.”

    God however makes himself known to us differently. Through Jeremiah, He reveals himself to us as a different kind of creator. Instead of a builder, He identifies himself as a potter, who forms and shapes the clay to be a new emerging creation. This means that God is more like an artist in forming and creating us. As his creation, we are hand-crafted by God – “we are in His hand” created by and through his own very hands. We are also not finished-products but a work of art in progress.

    God works with circumstances as they emerge. He may intend to make a vase out of us. But events may cause God to make a cereal bowl instead, for now, and come in near future, a chinaware plate. But one thing for certain: He continually creates, forms and shapes us into more perfect persons that we can be, but patiently…. considering our circumstances and at our own pace.

    God then is more than just a builder, producer or author. As our Lord Jesus makes know to us, He is our formator, parent, mentor, or coach who patiently forms us to the best that we can be at this moment, and continually shapes and reshapes us to the best we will be. 

    In teaching us to pray the words of the “Lord’s prayers” Jesus is not only teaching us what to pray, but also what prayer is & how to pray. In praying the “Our Father” then, Jesus is telling us that prayer is about establishing a personal relationship with God than just behaving a formal etiquette before God. Addressing God properly as “Our father” emphasizes that God is not only our Lord, Creator, Master, above & beyond but above all God is our personal PARENT (Ama, Amahan, Father) whom we love & praise, and we trust & rely on of our human needs for sustenance, mercy & forgiveness & strength amidst the challenges of life.

    Furthermore, in our gospel today Jesus is teaching us that  like a child to a parent, praying  to God is all about our asking, searching, seeking & knocking doors towards a contact, conversation & communion with God. Meaning, to pray to God as Jesus teaches us, is our affectionate love expressions (our  “pamarayeg, lambing o paanga-anga”) with God, our Father. Like any parent, God knows already what we need & wants what is better (even best) for us His children. And all we have to do is to lovingly ask, knock, seek & search what is better for us from Him. And like any parent, God blesses us all His children, and surely God blesses mostly His grateful, loving, trusting & “pamarayegon” affectionate children.

    May we pray more than just out of our formal obligation or etiquette but towards having a personal loving pamarayeg with God, our Father now & always.

    So be it. Hinaut pa unta. Amen.

  • Be RIGHT with the Lord

    Be RIGHT with the Lord

    July 20, 2025 – Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072025.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 does not 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, Mam that it is not easy to parent growing children. A number of families nowadays are into such difficulties. But may I ask you, do you have common activities as family?” 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 and we, parents also have their own different schedules and friends that is why usually we cannot be together during meals, recreation, prayers or activities.”

    Then I told her, “Ma’am 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 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 and duties, that we do not have anymore time with and for one another for our own family. 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 one another become 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, Martha missed the right thing to do before the Lord’s presence, which is to listen to the Good News the Lord is intending to share with them in his visit, and to have a quality personal 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 concern & 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 does not 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 more than our responsibilities to each other. And doing the right things in our relationship is more noble and important than doing things right responsibly.

    Yes, in every relationship there is corresponding responsibilities. But fulfilled responsibilities are meaningless if and when it is not grounded on quality and intimate relationship. Common & personal relationship-based responsibilities is thus called for in our life with God & one another. Ultimately then, righteousness – having right relationship (to be Right) with Jesus is to have a common & intimate relationship with Him, far beyond our doing right for Him.

    Perhaps, we ask ourselves: “if and when Jesus pays 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 for Him than to be right with Him? Do we recognize the Lord present within our family dynamics & relations than just in our family functions, duties & responsibilities?

    Brothers and sisters, as we follow Jesus in our lives, like Mary, may we build our relationships with Him and one another by spending quality time & relationship to listen, experience and grow with one another in common with faith & life in Him now and always.

    So May It Be. Amen