Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Fr. Mario Masangcay, CSsR

  • Believe and Witness

    Believe and Witness

    April 24, 2022 – Second Sunday of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/042422.cfm)

    As Christians, often times, we come across skeptics – people who at least doubt or disbelieve our Christian faith. Once a young man said in the heat of discussion: “I will not believe until I meet Jesus”. And a Catholic missionary retorted him: “But you cannot see if you don’t believe first. Only in faith, that you will be able to experience and witness our risen Lord Jesus Christ”.

    Yes, in this day and age it is unavoidable to meet people who maintain: “To see is to believe”, i.e. to base their faith on facts, sciences and evidences. In other words, they only trust and have confidence on what are sensible, logical, and scientific. Nowadays, it is not easy for others (& even ourselves) to believe. We ask usually for signs, proofs, or evidence in order to trust and have faith on others. We need some credentials first in order for us to believe. Many at times we claim, “We will never believe until we see it”. Others would even say, “Show me the money first before I trust you”.

    However, signs, facts, proofs and evidences are not the basis of our Christian faith – not even on the empty tomb of Jesus, but on the testimony and faith of the disciples and of us who experience & witness the risen Lord as He reveals Himself in our normal lives and such witness has totally transformed us.  Like the disciples in our first reading, faith in the risen Lord makes us experience the risen Lord in our lives, and make us witnesses (sharers of the Lord’s presence) to others. Such Christian faith and witnessing of our risen Lord make us Christian different from other religions.

    Now, what does it entail, to witness Jesus and to be witnesses of Jesus? What does it mean, and how it is to be today’s Christian witnesses of the Lord’s resurrection?

    Same way as being a witness in the court, Christian witnessing entails and requires us:

    1st, to experience the events, or what is going on or happening, as it happens or unfolds in the ordinary life. This would mean we should be there present, and not absent like Thomas, at the moment when Jesus reveals himself to us.

    2nd, Be conscious or aware of what is going on. Physical presence is not enough. We must pay attention to ordinary miracles that are happening in our midst. Thus, our total self must be present and sensitive with His revelations.

    3rd, Let the events happen in its own course. Let things be and happen as it unfolds. Savor the moment without controlling and programming. Don’t interfere or else we become accessory & not anymore a witness.

    4th, be affected by the event – be transformed by the events. Be moved, surprised, amazed, awed, inspired, and shaken by the experience.

    5th, share and testify the events to others, as we have experienced and been affected by the encounter.

    The same process of witnessing happened with the apostles in our gospel today. 1st, while going back to their ordinary lives of fishing and catching nothing, a man appeared and suggested them to fish in the other side of the boat. 2nd, having a great catch, they eventually recognized and became aware that the man is the risen Lord Jesus. 3rd, as no one dared to ask: “who are you”, they let Jesus invite and serve them a breakfast. 4th, with their first breakfast with the Lord, once again they are moved, transformed, and inspired to continue with their faith and mission. 5th, their very meeting and sharing bread and fish with the risen inspired them to follow Him and in feeding the Lord’s lamb in faith and life. In other words, we witness the risen Lord to others, by our being present and conscious of the Lord’s appearances in our ordinary life, meeting him naturally and affectively, and passionately share to others our faith and encounter of the risen Lord.

    Again, Easter is all about the risen Lord continuously meeting us in life – appearing and making himself known to us. As the Lord meets us in our day to day lives, our experience of Him challenges us to believe, i.e. to recognize and trust Him and His ways, as well as to witness Him, i.e. to taste and see (savor) His being with and acting in us, as well as to share our experience of Him with others.

    Easter season reminds us not only of Eucharist as our last supper, but more so, as our usual first breakfast with the risen Lord in our day to day witness of our faith and life. The Lord’s resurrection is thus God’s offer of life and meaning to the whole world – appealing us to Believe and Witness His son Jesus Christ, as we encounter and experience Him in our daily lives. May our Christian faith and celebration of Eucharist, as community continually inspire us to believe and witness the risen Lord to ourselves, others and to all in our lives. Amen.

  • Home for Holy Week

    Home for Holy Week

    April 10, 2022 – Palm Sunday

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041022.cfm)

    For us Filipinos, there are three occasions in the year that we come home, get together, and spend quality time with our family: Christmas, All Souls’ Day, and Holy Week. These are the moments when and where us, Filipinos BE with each other, that is where and when we experience, encounter, and meet each other again as family and community which usually lead to renewal, deepening and strengthening of bonding and relationships among family. While during Christmas, we are with our family and friends, and during All Souls’ day, with our family and relatives remembering our beloved dead members of the family, Holy Week is particularly our time and space with God.

    Today, Palm Sunday marks the beginning of our Holy Week this year of Faith. These days in this week of this year of faith is our time and space to BE with our God. This week is our God-time and God-space. Particularly this week is more than just our chance to be with God but more so God’s chance to be with us. Meaning, this week is not only our time and space with God but more so GOD’s time and space with us. It is more like God must be first and foremost Be with us rather than We must be with God. The center or focus of this week then is not ourselves but God. This week is not about us and ourselves but about HIM and His being with us now. This is our chance then to experience, encounter and meet God in His own terms and not on our own terms. The best attitude then is to let Him set the agenda, activities, schedules, and venue of this week. Meaning, to let Him take the steering wheel – let Him drive your life this week – let God be God, not be a god as we want or need Him to be.

    To do this and make the best of this week, allow me to suggest some appropriate approaches.

    First, RECALL. As I have said, this is not about us but about Him. So, once again be reminded, that is to put into mind – God’s story with Us which is the Jesus story. We are to call again and remember (to make it member or part of ourselves) what God did, does and is doing to us through the life and mission of Jesus Christ. So, time and space to Recall, Remind, Remember God’s story with us through Jesus rather our story with God.

    Then, REFLECT. This is an invitation to mirror back or reflect back God’s story with and along our faith-story with God now. In other words, Manalamin. To look and see our faith-life experience from the point of view of God’s story and less from our own perspective. Meaning, Be moved. Be disturbed. Be influenced. Be shaken. Be challenged. Be transformed by God’s story, presence, words, movements, plans, agenda and will for us, you and I now.

    And above all, RESPOND to what, when, how, when and where God is calling, inviting, and leading you now in whatever faith-life commitment you choose to be. Meaning, whether you are ordained, married, professed, or baptized Christian, be a BETTER Christian as you choose and committed to be.

    We begin Holy Week today. Recall, Reflect, and Renew what God did, does and is doing in You and Us now by being with God, not in our own terms but in His own terms.

    May we, you and I have a blessed and inspired week ahead.

    So Be it. Amen.

  • FORGIVEN

    FORGIVEN

    April 3, 2022 – 5th Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040322-YearC.cfm)

    There was once a priest who was so envious of his wise and holy parishioner. Because of jealousy, he made every effort to test and ridicule this parishioner. One day, he confronted the parishioner and said, “Sir, you seem to be a pious & religious person.  I’ve heard that God is so pleased with you. Will you please ask your God what is my greatest sin committed?” The man was not able to reply right there and then, and eventually left sadly. Next day, the man came back, asked for the priest, and said: “Father, God said, not to worry about your sin. He has already forgiven you your sins and even forgot about it.”

    As we listen to our gospel today, we cannot help but hear loudly what Jesus said, “Let be among you who has no sin be the first to cast a stone at her”. Through these words, we can also look at ourselves, examine our own failures and sins committed against God and others. Yes, it is true. It is easy for us to see and be sensitive of the faults and sins of others than ourselves. It is easy for us to judge other, to cast a stone or smear dirt on others, likes the Pharisees and teachers of the Law would do. Because of our self-righteousness and over conscious of other’s faults and sins, many lives and relationships shattered and broken. Through these words of Jesus, we can reflect back on our own lives and see our own failures and sins – our sinfulness. And it is not for us to judge others because we are also sinners, and have also committed mistakes, failures, and sins in life.

    However, if we also reflect deeply, the gospel message today is more than just an instruction for us not to judge other, and to examine ourselves and be sorry for our own sins and failures. We are also challenged today in our gospel to recognize and trust in God’s forgiveness and mercy. Yes, it is easy for us to see the faults of other, and slow for us to look on our own sins, but we also know that in the midst of these faults and failures, God intervenes, forgives, and saves us.

    In our gospel today, the scribes and the Pharisees become aware and realize their own faults and sinfulness. But the story does not end there – admitting their sins. It ended when the woman receives the Lord’s mercy and forgiveness. Jesus said, “No one condemns you. Nor do I condemn you. You may go. But from now on, avoid this sin.”

    Like the Pharisees and scribes, it is not enough for us just to be sorry for our mistake. We must also receive God’s forgiveness and mercy. Meaning, the good news is not in the realization and admittance of our sins but in receiving God’s mercy and love. Reconciliation is not only about being sorry for our past faults and failures but also receiving again and anew God’s love and mercy in life. God’s forgiveness then is more than just about our repentance but also renewal of our faith in God. As Yahweh insists in our first reading, “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not. See, I am doing something new!” In other words, stop condemning oneself & others, let go now of our past sin, & allow God do something new & better through you.

    We have started the season of Lent during Ash Wednesday with a call to “Repent and believe in the gospel”. This does not only mean that we are sorry for our sins and we are to change our ways, but that we must also deepen and strengthen our faith and trust in God, and for us, to recognize and receive the blessings and graces that God has done and accomplished for us.

    As St. Paul in proclaims: “I have come to rate all as loss in the light of the surpassing knowledge of my Lord Jesus Christ. For his sake I have forfeited everything, I have accounted all else as rubbish. I wish to know Christ and the power flowing from his resurrection” may our repentance leads us back to God and renew our faith in Him, who loves us always.

    So be it. So may it be. Amen

  • Chance to Be At Home

    Chance to Be At Home

    March 27, 2022 – Fourth Sunday of Lent; Laetare Sunday

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032722-YearC.cfm)

    In the Gospels, Peter and Judas Iscariot are two of the outstanding characters in the life of Jesus and His disciples. Both are trusted leaders of Jesus: Peter as the manager, and Judas Iscariot as the treasurer. Both have also sinned and failed the Lord: Peter denied the Lord three times, while Judas Iscariot betrayed the Lord. But what makes him worse than Peter is that Judas Iscariot did not allow the risen Lord to forgive and love him again. By killing himself, committing suicide, Judas Iscariot remains far and away from the Lord, missing and not even giving himself the chance to be forgiven and welcomed by the Lord again and anew. Peter, on the other hand, though guilty of his own offenses, remains near and close waiting for the risen Lord, thus giving himself and the Lord the chance to welcome and love him again and anew. Simply put, the Lord forgives, welcomes, and loves those who are near, close, listens and believes in Him. 

    Once again, we hear the parable of Jesus about the Prodigal Son. Surely hearing and reflecting again the parable of the Prodigal Son could offer and bring us a lot of lessons, messages, and challenges in our faith-life as Christians. But among the good news we can learn from this parable, the main theme here is all about “Home-coming”.

    Jesus told us the parable of the Prodigal Son because many sinners were coming near to listen to Him, and he was even criticized for welcoming and eating with them. To make sense of the spirit of what is happening (sinners coming near and listening to him) and of His action (welcoming and eating with them), Jesus shared us the parable of Prodigal Son to teach us the message about Reconciliation: our homecoming or our coming home to God.

    Through the parable, Jesus reveals to us that our God has a special regard for the lost, outcast, and sinners. Our God is thus more concern about and especially loves those of us who are lost, least, and last in life. Like the Father in the parable, God waits, loves, and welcomes back those of us who experience being lost, last and least, as well as estranged, left-behind, marginalized, disregarded, and downgraded in life. At the same time, His love and concern for us can fully be experienced and enjoyed through our homecoming to God – by coming Home again and anew.

    Meaning, God’s love is and can be savored (taste and see) once again if and whenever we give ourselves as well as God a chance to welcome us again and anew. Like Peter, we are forgiven, welcomed, and loved again, if and when we give ourselves and God a chance to be reconciled and be in relationship and covenant with Him anew. As shown to us, the prodigal son enjoys the father’s love and home by coming home, and the resentful elder son may and could enjoy the father’s love and home again if and when he comes back home again.

    Jesus also teaches us how to come home with God. God welcomes and enjoys with those who come near to Jesus to listen. Coming near and listening to Jesus is our way of coming and being at home with God’s love. Homecoming to God is then all about believing and having faith in Jesus who will guide and leads us back to our Father.  Hence, by our homecoming to God through our faith in Jesus (near and listening to Him), we come to experience the promise of God’s love and salvation.

    The sacrament of Reconciliation or the Confession is our Church’s chance & way for us to be reconciled to God. By going to church, confessing our sins, asking and receiving forgiveness, we come back home to God our Father and be near and listening to Jesus in faith, and so be forgiven, welcomed, and loved again and anew. Like the Father of the Prodigal Son, God awaits for our homecoming, and most willing to forgive and love us again if and when we and God gives another chance to make things right with Jesus in life.

    In this Lenten Season, through confession of our sins, may we come nearer and listen to Jesus as He leads us and allow ourselves back to our Home with our Father. Amen.

  • Only IF & WHEN

    Only IF & WHEN

    March 20, 2022 – Third Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032022-YearC.cfm)

    How do we make sense of a lot of things going on with our lives nowadays? Still adjusting with the life-threating Covid pandemic, we are also now amidst violence, terrorism, disasters, and killings along with the imminent threat of world war, oil price hike, dwindling geo & national politics. Is there and can we still hope in life?

    As some people reported to Jesus about disasters and killings happened in Galileans in our gospel today, the central issue raised is also about Hope in life. “Can we still hope for God’s salvation?  Is there still a hope and meaning in life?” Sometimes with a lot of miseries happening in our world today, like calamities, wars, poverty, disasters, exploitations, corruptions, and injustices, we do find life hopeless and meaningless.

    This reminds me of a story about a beggar who had a rice bowl to beg. Every time he asks for some food or money from others, he would just stick out his rice bowl and beg for something. At times, he is too ashamed to beg; he cannot even look at them. But many at times, he becomes too rude to force others to give some scraps of food or some coins. Like other beggars, he dreams that someday he will become a millionaire. But he knows that such dream is impossible and just a wishful thinking because he got nothing but a mere dirty battered rice bowl he inherited from his family of beggars. Sometimes he would blame God for his life’s misery. He considers himself a hopeless and useless case.

    One day, while begging, a merchant noticed his rice bowl and asked if he could have a look at it. The merchant then examined his rice bowl and concluded, “You must be stupid begging for some craps. You should not be asking for others help because you are one of the most fortunate persons in the city. This rice bowl of yours is a priceless antique made of pure GOLD. Just wash it clean and it will cost you a fortune. Why don’t you sell it to me? I could give you five million dollars for it.” But the beggar just laughed off what he heard from the merchant. He simply could not believe that his useless rice bowl is worth a fortune. He dismissed everything the merchant said and continued to beg for some food or money using his dirty battered but priceless golden antique rice bowl. What a waste, what a shame.

    Sometimes, we are like that beggar. God has already given us a lot of His graces. He almost gave up everything for us – His life, His love, His salvation, His only Son. God has already endowed each and everyone of us enough of His blessings. He has given us not only a chance but a lot of chances to live life, and a golden rice bowl of faith in Him. But like that beggar, we rarely recognize God’s precious gifts to us. We rarely recognize our Faith. Sometimes we are not contented with our simple faith. Instead, we look for signs. We look for other substitutes. We beg for other scraps of beliefs. We dream for miracles but in vain. Then, we find life useless, and get hopeless with life.

    Like in our gospel however, as the gardener assured his master that there is always a hope for a dry fig tree to bear fruits again – only if and when given a chance, Jesus also reassured us that there is always hope in life, if & when we change our ways. Jesus in our Gospel today reminds us that God has given each and everyone of us a chance to live life to its fullness. He calls us to see all life miseries are not signs of a vengeful God, but a constant wake up call to repent, to conversion and Christian Living. For Him, there is still hope for those who repent and believe in the Gospel. 

    We began the Lenten season last Ash Wednesday, with the words: “Repent and Believe in the Gospel.” It simply means that the season of Lent is the time for us not only to prepare ourselves for the Easter but also to examine and purify our rice bowl of faith, and then to recognize and accept the preciousness, fortune, and chance it brings. In other words, there is hope only if and when we repent, we change our ways and believe in the Gospel, in the good news, in the golden chance to live God has already given us. Otherwise, there is no hope and meaning at all.

    As we struggle with our life-journey nowadays during these trying times, help us O Lord to acknowledge & responsibly accept your Gift of faith in us, for us to discover meaning, hope, strength, & direction through the challenges ahead.

    So be it. Amen.