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Category: Feasts

  • The Powerless King on the Cross

    The Powerless King on the Cross

    Solemnity of Christ the King – November 24, 2019

    A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (23:35-43)

    The rulers sneered at Jesus and said,
    “He saved others, let him save himself
    if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.” 
    Even the soldiers jeered at him. 
    As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
    “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.” 
    Above him there was an inscription that read,
    “This is the King of the Jews.”

    Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
    “Are you not the Christ?
    Save yourself and us.” 
    The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
    “Have you no fear of God,
    for you are subject to the same condemnation?
    And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
    for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
    but this man has done nothing criminal.”
    Then he said,
    “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
    He replied to him,
    “Amen, I say to you,
    today you will be with me in Paradise.”

    Homily

    How would you imagine a king?

    Being influenced by cartoons, anime and movies, I would imagine a king who wears a golden crown, covered in a golden robe, sitting on a golden throne and living in a golden palace. A king is a powerful man who has thousands of armies, who conquered many nations and defeated countless enemies through bloody wars. He is untouchable – and commoners, slaves and servants cannot talk to him directly. His throne is too far from the ordinary people.

    This is not far from how we imagine Jesus Christ our King. Influenced by the western culture we also imagine Christ the king who wears a golden crown, wrapped in a golden robe and sits on a golden throne. This image, for me, seems to be a distant king who does not know the daily affairs of his people. A king who merely shows greatness, triumph and wealth.

    However, the Gospel that we have heard today speaks nothing of this kind of king. What we have is a vulnerable king, powerless and crucified on the cross. This is Jesus’ statement that he is not an earthly king who only shows grandeur, control and domination over his subjects. He is a king who became like us, who lived with us and journeyed with us in every story of our life especially in those difficult and dark moments.

    He is not an unreachable king sitting there on the high throne but he is a God-with-us (Emmanuel). He is a king who knows us and our deepest secrets and desires. But he is a king who does not control and imposes himself on us. He only calls and invites us to come to him.

    Jesus’ determination to call us and to gather us brought him into that situation. Despite the danger and of the suffering he would endure, as king, he is always ready to take the risk to offer his life for our sake, that we may experience freedom and healing. We find his invitation through the three different people in the Gospel and their individual response to Jesus. So, let us look at them.

    First, the people like the Jewish authorities and the soldiers. They refused to recognize Jesus as King and Messiah because he was a threat to them, a threat to their comfort, and threat to their earthly power. It was a decision they have made despite the invitations of Jesus for them to believe in Him.

    Second, one of the criminals who insulted Jesus. He was actually confused and did not make any stand. He was lukewarm. He neither condemned Jesus nor accepted him as Lord, King and Redeemer. Despite the closeness of God in him on the cross, he did not recognize God in Jesus because he was still full of himself. He was unrepentant.

    Third was the other man on the cross. He was the one who recognized God in Jesus and decided to accept Jesus as his Lord. This made him say, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Being powerless on that cross, he was able to recognize the face of the Lord, his king. This person felt a God who has accompanied him in his suffering and even towards death. Through his very suffering, he found God to be so close to him.

    This tells us now of a king who is close to us. Jesus is not a king who is distant from our sufferings and fears but a king who patiently and lovingly walks with us. God, indeed, meets us where we are and he is ready to bend down in order to encounter us there in the saddest and darkest part of our life.

    Yet, let us also remember that Jesus requires our participation. To every person Jesus met, he gave them the chance to recognize him but the hardness of their hearts and because of their arrogance, they refused to see Jesus. But with this other man on the cross, owning his sins and failures in life brought him into that realization that he was in need of God. Meaning, when we humbly recognize our weaknesses and sins we also recognize God’s love for us. This becomes, then, an opportunity for God to transform our life.

    Thus, on this great feast of Christ our King, let us also own and recognize our failures and sins. This calls us not to be afraid because Christ will never condemn us to death. He already took it upon himself for us. What he wants is that we will enjoy his presence in paradise. 

    And as Jesus identified himself with the suffering, with the dying, with the condemned, let us also expand our image of Christ the King. Let us encounter and recognize Jesus through the sick old person abandoned by his family, or those who have been affected by calamities, or a rejected and broken daughter or son who succumbed to drug and alcohol addiction, or to an abused spouse, or to a street family who are displaced or to a friend who suffers depression, or a classmate who is being bullied. Take time to meet those who might need our help in ways that we can do. And hopefully, that encounter will bring us into the experience of meeting Christ the King through others. Hinuat pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • Are you Jesus? – Reflection on the Solemnity of Christ, the King

    Are you Jesus? – Reflection on the Solemnity of Christ, the King

    Reflection shared by Fr. Mar Masangcay, CSsR (Filipino Missionary in South Korea)

    In a rather busy and crowded bus terminal in Manila, a PWD (person with disability) foreigner was found trying to find his way, hoping to catch his bus. While sitting and waiting for his bus, a young OFW (overseas Filipino worker) saw and sensed the PWD foreigner’s confusion, came and approached the foreigner, and said, “May I have of some assistance, Sir?” “O, Thanks. I’ve been trying to find my way, hoping I would not miss my 9am bus to Baguio”. The OFW replied, “No worry, Sir. I’m on the same trip. We could come together.” Gladly the foreigner sat with him, waiting for their bus. As the bus arrived, the OFW helped the PWD to his seat, and then bids farewell to find his own seat. Suddenly the PWD said to the OFW, “Many thanks, Man. Are you Jesus?”

    Christmas proclaims in the gospel of St. John: “The word became flesh and live with us. He was in the world and the world came to be through Him…But the world did not know Him … and his people did not accept Him.” Although Christianity is universal, world-wide, international and multicultural, we cannot deny that our Lord Jesus Christ, we believe in, is still unknown and unaccepted in the world. Others may have heard and seen about Jesus from others, but most of us have not meet and experienced Jesus personally. And most of us are, even in faith still longing and searching for Jesus intimately. In others words, in our disabilities and being foreigner/migrant to discover God’s life, we are still finding our ways to wander “Are you Jesus? Is this Jesus?” – hoping to catch a glimpse of God through Jesus, God’s word who lives with us in our daily lives.

    On this last Sunday of liturgical year, today we honor Christ the King. We celebrate the Kingship of Jesus Christ, confirming of His reign, presence and rule in our lives today. However, His Kingship is best portrayed to us, not Him in some precious throne and with pearly crown, but Him hanging on a cross wearing a crown of thorns and among criminals.

    As our gospel today shows us, while even on the hour of his death, Our Lord and King Jesus still speaking and sharing words of hope and compassion to all those who come near Him. His reign, presence and rule in our life is thus best revealed to us by His continuing sharing and spreading of God’s good News of love, mercy, hope, compassion & faith to our world in the story of His life, mission, suffering, death, resurrection and glory.

    Meaning, whenever and everytime we experience in our life love, kindness, mercy, compassion, kindness hope and faith, shown by us both as receiver – like the PWD, and as giver – like the OFW, God’s grace – along with the kingship of Jesus, is with us and in our midst. As a church song proclaims, “they will know we are Christians by our love”. By our experience of love and of loving in life, we and others may come to know that “we are of Christ”, “we are of Jesus”. Thus, God’s word and kingdom is with us; and our Lord and King Jesus life, mission, and reign live with us, as we still always experience in life love, hope, compassion and faith.

    Now, to always discover the Emmanuel, God amongst us, and also to be “of Jesus, of Christ” personally in our life and world today, as PCP II suggests, the challenge for us Catholics, especially Filipino Catholics, is to retell (tell again & again) the Jesus story to ourselves so that we can tell him to others. In other words, Kilalalin natin muli at lagi si Jesus sa ating sarili, upang atin siyang maipakilala sa mundo. 

    Preach and proclaim Jesus to yourself so that you can share Him to others. Be personal with Jesus so that in you and through you, He can and will also be personal to others.  In other words, Represent Jesus (present him again) to oneself, so that He will be also present to others who are longing for Him in life.

    Lord, even in our faith, we also are wandering “are you or is this Jesus?” – still longing and searching to discover you in our lives. As you have revealed to us, may our experience of love and loving you and others in life,  allow us to retell your story, and let others tell your story to ourselves, so that we can tell and share You, as well as to “be Jesus” to others who also searching and wanting to be near and personal with you.  Amen.

  • What I truly offer to God is wonderfully blessed by God

    What I truly offer to God is wonderfully blessed by God

    November 21, 2019 – Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

    Today, we celebrate the feast of the Presentation of Mary to the Temple. This feast is not found in the bible but in a scripture called the Protoevangelium of James. So, it means that this feast actually, has no historical basis. However, why do we celebrate it? Why is it important for the Church?

    Even though this is not an historical event, but this feast itself is spiritually and theologically important for the Church. In that scripture, the Protoevangelium of James, it was described that the parents of Mary, who were Saints Joachim and Anne offered their daughter, Mary, to God in the Temple at the age of 3 years old.

    The action of Joachim and Anne was an expression of their gratefulness to the Lord. This old couple offered back to God the very gift that they have received from God.

    It was in this way that Mary had been consecrated to God for the purpose that God transforms the life of Mary. Hence, this feast of Mary tells us how God consecrates a life that is fully offered to Him. This tells us too, how God can make a simple offering to become so wonderful and beautiful.

    This feast prepares us for the Immaculate Conception of Mary and of the great mystery that we will celebrate on Christmas day, the birth of Jesus. Thus, through the act of sacrifice of the Joachim and Anne and the act of faith of Mary’s “yes” to the Lord; God in return blessed not just Joachim and Anne and Mary, but, each of us, through the birth of Jesus.

    This is the message for us today. We are called to offer back to God all that we have.

    As husband and wife, offer back to God your marriage life, making God the very center of your marriage.

    As a family, offer to God your very relationships including your joys even your sacrifices and pains.

    As a professional, offer to God your work, your passion, your talents and even your insecurities and failures.

    As a young person, offer to God your dreams and hopes and even your fears and anxieties of the future.

    As an old person, offer to God your good old days, the days that you have spent on this earth with your loved ones including the good and bad experiences and even your illness and  uncertainties in life.

    In offering to God what we have, it also calls us to be confident in God, to trust him fully. God promises us that when we are able to offer what we have to Him; He will surely bless them and transform them beyond our expectation. God will certainly bring forth life, healing, reconciliation and wonderful and beautiful things through us and among us. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • A Sincere Person Inspires

    A Sincere Person Inspires

    October 16, 2019 – Wednesday 28th Week in Ordinary Time

    Feast of St. Gerard Majella, CSsR

    (Patron of Mothers, particularly pregnant mothers and their infants)

    A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John (12:23-26)***

    ***readings proper to St. Gerard, Redemptorist Supplementary

    Jesus said to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tel you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.

    Homily

    When we experience rejections and deprivations in life, is it not that we also experience discouragements and have a sense of hopelessness?

    That is why there would be people who would yield to a very low self-worth and low self-esteem because of such negative experiences. For others, this leads to depression and chronic loneliness. Others too would go to the other side that leads to a life filled with bitterness and then to that desire to always seek recognition, acceptance, and satisfaction. When these desires remain unconscious and become unsatisfiable, the person turns to be selfish, corrupt and abusive in his or her relationships.

    Yet, negative experiences also can be an opportunity for us to grow more as a person into what God desires us to be. Our painful experiences of rejection and deprivations in life are also doors that will lead us into a life filled with confidence and assurance. This is the life that was shown to us by St. Gerard Majella whose feast we celebrate today. Before St Gerard was known to be a patron for mothers and particularly in time of pregnancy and for their infants, the young Gerard experienced hardships.

    At a very young age he was deprived of a father. His father died and being the only boy, he became a father to his sisters. Though he was very young, he was forced by that circumstance to work as a tailor. Consequently, the hard work that he endured caused his health to fail. He had a very poor health as a young man. However, despite these difficult circumstances, Gerard was never bitter towards others who were better and well-off. He never blamed God for the difficulties he experienced. 

    In fact, Gerard desired that he will offer his whole life in the service of God. But then, because of his poor background and poor health he was rejected by a religious congregation that he wanted to join. Despite this rejection, Gerard never wavered in his resolved. When the Redemptorists came in his hometown, he was inspired by them and asked to join in their group. Again, because of his poor health he was rejected. But because of his persistence, he was able to join, but the Redemptorists reluctantly accepted him. He was never accepted fully, actually!

    In terms of intellectual capacity, Gerard was very far from St Alphonsus, yet, what inspired the people around him was his sincerity. In all the things that Gerard did, he was always sincere. The words that he expressed was filled with sincerity. Gerard was not after any recognition or just to satisfy his cravings because of the deprivations in his life.

    Gerard was just sincere because he was very confident with Jesus. His confidence and intimate friendship with the Lord made this poor and sickly Gerard secured and satisfied. Consequently, the very presence of Gerard uplifted and inspired others particularly those who were afflicted with illness, with loneliness, with poverty and other needs. Thus, even in his poverty, Gerard was generous; even in the midst of rejections, Gerard was most compassionate.

    This is what Jesus told us in the Gospel today. The life of Gerard was a concrete example after Jesus of a seed that dies and then bears much fruit. Those painful and negative experiences of Gerard were his experiences of dying, his choice to make others happy and to bring others closer to Jesus was his way of self-denial and denial from his personal cravings. Hence, by his sincere actions and words, Gerard’s life bore much fruit.

    This is the message also for us today. Let us not allow our negative experiences of rejections and deprivations to bring us farther away from ourselves, from others and from God. Let us rather make them as opportunities for us to grow deeper in our relationship with God and others. Let us be sincere in our words and actions so that we too will become God’s instruments in bringing miracles in the world. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR 

  • Why God is essential in life

    Why God is essential in life

    October 15, 2019 – Tuesday 28th Week in Ordinary Time

    Memorial of St. Teresa of Avila, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

    A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans (1:16-25)

    Brothers and sisters:
    I am not ashamed of the Gospel.
    It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes:
    for Jew first, and then Greek.
    For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith;
    as it is written, “The one who is righteous by faith will live.”

    The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven
    against every impiety and wickedness
    of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
    For what can be known about God is evident to them,
    because God made it evident to them.
    Ever since the creation of the world,
    his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity
    have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made.
    As a result, they have no excuse;
    for although they knew God
    they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks.
    Instead, they became vain in their reasoning,
    and their senseless minds were darkened.
    While claiming to be wise, they became fools
    and exchanged the glory of the immortal God
    for the likeness of an image of mortal man
    or of birds or of four-legged animals or of snakes.

    Therefore, God handed them over to impurity
    through the lusts of their hearts
    for the mutual degradation of their bodies.
    They exchanged the truth of God for a lie
    and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator,
    who is blessed forever. Amen.

    A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (11:37-41)

    After Jesus had spoken,
    a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home.
    He entered and reclined at table to eat.
    The Pharisee was amazed to see
    that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.
    The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees!
    Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish,
    inside you are filled with plunder and evil.
    You fools!
    Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?
    But as to what is within, give alms,
    and behold, everything will be clean for you.”

    Homily

    St Paul tells us of the danger of a conscious denial of God. God’s presence can indeed be felt everywhere and by everyone. However, the people of his time denied God’s presence and power through their wicked practices. They knew God but did not adhere God and did not recognize God’s tremendous love.

    These people continued to worship what were only beneficial to them. They worshipped material things that would only feed them with comfort, riches, power and influence.

    As a result, they favored lies rather than the truth. They preferred corruption rather than honesty. They loved to possess rather than to give. However, such life only led them to darkness and to a life that can never be satisfied. They remained hungry and dull. This truly happened as the people put God aside in their life.

    This resonates with the reaction of Jesus towards the Pharisee who tended to put more emphasis on human regulations rather than on what God intended originally. This Pharisee represented those people who elaborated the law of Moses with hundreds of laws. They believed that it was the best way to obey God’s command. 

    Nevertheless, this was not the case. Jesus confronted the Pharisees of their mistake. They, in fact, worshipped more the law rather than the Lord. By putting more emphasis on the law, they also forgot to be compassionate to the poor and to be grateful to the Lord.

    Consequently, the Pharisees became vicious in their treatment with the common people. Since they thought of themselves highly, they looked down at the poor and the sick. Because of their self-righteousness they have become indifferent to the lowly.

    This was evident in the way they presented themselves. They have become people who were merely concerned of the outside, of their physical appearance rather than of their hearts. They looked flawless outside but with a corrupt heart inside. This again was a form of putting God aside.

    With these, Jesus invites us today to rather make God as the most essential in our life because a life that continually denies God will only lead to emptiness and unsatisfied life. Making others things more important in our life other than God will bring us to a deep spiritual hunger and corruption. These things could be our own material possessions, successes and achievements, influence and fame or simply ourselves, our vices and addictions, our selfish actions and intentions. 

    Indeed, St. Teresa of Avila whose feast we celebrate today reminds us of a person who truly found satisfaction, true comfort and riches with God. Through her closeness with Jesus, Teresa would always discern and choose God’s desire for her rather than her personal desires even if that led to personal conflict and difficulty.

    She made God as the most essential in her life which made her offer also herself.  Accordingly, she had become an ‘influencer’ during her lifetime. She radiated and shared God’s presence in her life and through her actions, her works and speech. She, indeed, found what filled her and satisfied her. Teresa is known to have said,

    “God alone is sufficient.”

    Thus, hopefully, we may also discover that indeed God alone is sufficient for us, that nothing can truly satisfy us or fill us but God alone. Like Teresa, we may also grow in our confidence with Jesus despite our feelings of insecurities and anxieties in life. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR