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Category: Feasts

  • Keeping God closer to our Heart 

    Keeping God closer to our Heart 

    June 25, 2022 – Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062522.cfm)

    With all the complexities, strangeness and difficulties to understand the situation, Mary kept the Lord closer to her heart. She kept all those revelations from the Lord closer to her heart that she may be able to understand them in the way God desires them to be understood.

    This was how Mary would always find wisdom and strength because with the many events that happened in her life, she might not be able to bear them all. Mary was certainly confused, afraid and unable to decide and do anything if she chose to distance herself from the Lord by reacting out of impulse or mere emotions.

    “Keeping all those things in her heart” would mean that Mary tried to understand how God was uncovering and revealing to her the plan of salvation. Mary realized that God reveals Himself to her every day. Mary did not want to miss all of them. Thus, she sought the best way of understanding them by not reacting to every event through mere emotion or just out of compulsion.

    Mary did not react out of anger or through an emotional reaction in front of the young Jesus after losing him for three days. Though the words of the young Jesus were baffling for her, but she must have felt that there was something deeper in there. God must be behind it. In her confusion, she kept all those things in her heart, to ponder them, to seek wisdom and understanding in the way God wants her to understand them.

    Most of all, Mary was able to do that because within her heart, God is there already. She has welcomed the Lord and allowed the Lord to be always in her heart. This led her into that kind of understanding from God’s perspective and so she responded to every invitation of God for her, willingly and lovingly, because God has touched her heart.

    This is how we find Mary’s presence captivating in our Christian faith because her very life is an example of a perfect communion with God. This how we also find comfort in her, as a mother, because her human heart is touched by God’s heart. The human heart of Mary too, has given flesh to the human heart of Jesus.

    In today’s feast, God invites us to grow in this area, that like Mary, our heart too will be touched by God’s heart and to allow the Lord to be in our heart. This is an invitation to make God as the closest and dearest in our heart. It is in this way that we shall also find understating, wisdom and strength in the many unfolding of events that happen to us every day.

    As we allow God to be closer to our heart and to seek the Divine wisdom, we may also become more welcoming of others, more connected with people around us, by having a heart capable of loving, as Mary is to us. Kabay pa.

  • A HEART THAT SEEKS AND LONGS FOR US

    A HEART THAT SEEKS AND LONGS FOR US

    June 24, 2022 – Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062422.cfm)

    I remember my late grandmother when I was younger. Together with my cousins, we were gathered in the living room of our grandparent’s home for some celebration. Then, suddenly our grandmother, we called her Nanay Iyay, was looking for her eye glasses. She kept looking for the glasses until she grew tired and suspected one of us grandchildren played with it and hid it from her, as some of us really were naughty at that time. That was the automatic presumption of Nanay Iyay until she got really annoyed. And most of us were laughing at our grandmom which made her mad, until one of us told her, “Nanay, try touching your head.” And when Nanay Iyay touched her head, there she found her glasses.

    Yes, we naturally look and search for something or someone that we have lost. But how could we find something if it is not lost after all? This happened with our late Nanay Iyay who was searching for her eye glasses that was never been lost. Indeed, our search for God is useless because we tend to search God outside, instead of recognizing Him in our very life, in our very human experiences.

    On this Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, let us discover together how God invites us today.

    In the first reading from the Book of Ezekiel and the Gospel of Luke present to us an image of God that Jesus wants to show to us today. Ezekiel affirms that it is God who searches and leads back those that have gone astray. In the parable, Jesus also tells us of the Shepherd who seeks the lost until he finds the lost sheep.

    This image of God tells us of a God who searches for the lost, the broken and the wounded. Thus, God never lost His way. In fact, it is us who will be lost. We are the sheep in the stories who are driven by our selfish desires, lost by our fears, who hid because of our shame and guilt, who retreated because of our wounded heart.

    Like the sheep, we might also wander to the other side thinking that there is security in addictions and vices, in depression and loneliness, in anger and hatred. Yet, we are wrong. The moment we step into these traps, then, we are lost. And this becomes a refusal to God’s invitation to be free and to have the fullness of life.

    Thus, Jesus leads us to God who invites us and searches for us not just once but in every opportunity in our life. Again, in the Book of Ezekiel, the prophet proclaims to us the heart of God that cares, heals and gives life. In the same way, our Responsorial Psalm beautifully captures the assurance we have with God, “The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.” We won’t be needing anything because God gives us the fullness of life.

    This is also what St. Paul tells in his Letter to the Romans that this fullness of life is indeed possible despite the failures or mistakes, sins and guilt that we have. Yet, it will only be possible through the grace of reconciliation that is being expressed in a love that heals the brokenhearted and that binds up the wounded.

    With all of these, the message of this feast is summed up in this– that God has a heart that seeks and longs for us and will not give up on us, no matter what, because we are always so dear to Him. Indeed, love is the language of the Sacred Heart of Jesus expressed in God’s desire to search and to find us so that we will be given with the fullness of life.

    These are at least three take aways that I want you to remember now.

    First, allow the Lord to search and find us. We can do this by always being aware of God’s presence and also by being humble enough to acknowledge our failures and guilt.

    Second, allow the Lord to lead us where he wants us to be. God only desires that we will be able to live life fully, hence, we may be able to identify what we only want from what God wants for us.

    Third, be available for others. The very heart of Jesus only means love and by being available for others, is an expression of that love. As you realize your dreams and hopes, be available for others by building friendships, by reaching out and giving life to others as the heart of Jesus has done to us. Kabay pa.

  • Walk with Graciousness

    Walk with Graciousness

    June 23, 2022 – Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062322-day.cfm)

    Today we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist a very important figure in the New Testament. This is the reason why the Church celebrates with great dignity his birth. How significant was he then? The Lord promised to send a Messiah who will come to us in order to save us. But before the Messiah will come, a person shall be sent first to serve as a herald who will prepare God’s people for the coming of the Messiah. This herald will not only announce the coming of the Messiah but he too will lead the people to recognize who the Messiah is.

    In the prophecy of the Book of Isaiah, this person shall be a light of the nations because he will teach, lead and gather the people to see God.

    We have heard in the first reading how Isaiah described God calling his herald even before his birth. This herald has been named and appointed by God to lead his people. This is God’s promise to be first fulfilled through the participation of humanity, through us.

    Thus, the birth of John was announced to an old couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth who were believed to be barren and cursed. However, to the surprise of this old couple an angel announced that they will have a son.  Elizabeth welcomed the message from God, but her husband, because it was too much to believe could not accept God’s gift. That is why, Zechariah was silenced by God. He only recovered his voice when his son was born. It was when he gave the name John to his son that the Lord opened his mouth again because the Lord is gracious. Yes, the name John or Johannes means the Lord is gracious.

    The birth of John is God’s manifestation that He is indeed gracious and faithful despite our unbelief and doubts. God continues to reveal himself to us even though we refuse to believe.

    This was the role of John and that was to bring people again to believe that God has never abandoned us. God remembers and God is here with us. This brings us now into the theme of this fourth day of our Novena in honor of Our Mother of Perpetual Help (Feast to be celebrated on June 29 in Iloilo City): Mary walks! And yes, as Mary walks, God also walks. God walks because God remembers His people.

    Hence, when Mary heard the news from Angel Gabriel that Elizabeth was pregnant, Mary walked the road to the hill country of Judea in order to visit and help Elizabeth. Mary’s participation in the life of John the Baptist tells us how the Lord also walks with us in this life as Mary walks carrying Jesus in her womb.

    What does this tell us now? What is God’s invitation for us now? As John was born, God also reveals his graciousness in us. And as Mary walks to help Elizabeth in giving birth to John, Mary’s presence in the birth of John also tells us of a loving presence that is ready to accompany and to be there for us in times of our needs and sorrows, and also in times of our victory and joys.

    Thus, there are at least two invitations for us now on this Nativity of John the Baptist and 4th day of our Novena in honor Our Mother of Perpetual Help.

    First, to be gracious. As God reveals his graciousness through the birth of John, let us also be gracious and be kind to people around us. Expressing our graciousness or kindness to all reveals our heart that is grounded in love and filled with gratitude because God has truly worked wonders in our life.

    Second, we can also show our graciousness by allowing ourselves to walk with others. Life will surely be more colorful and uplifting despite the challenges we have, when we walk with friends.  When we allow others to walk with us and ourselves by being generous to walk with others too, it expresses not just our concern for one another but to be in solidarity with each one. And this is what Mary showed as she walked with graciousness in her heart. Kabay pa.

  • LEARN TO WAIT. LEARN TO DISCERN.

    LEARN TO WAIT. LEARN TO DISCERN.

    March 19, 2022 – Solemnity of St. Joseph, the Husband of Mary

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031922.cfm)

    As it happens in small villages, Mary must have been subjected to gossips and fake news. Mary was judged without further investigation. The eyes and fingers of the people around her must have pointed and branded her to be a shame. In their eyes, the promise of the engagement was broken.

    Joseph also must have been confused and must have been very hurt. However, Joseph’s response was not out of anger or bitterness. In the heart of Joseph, he wanted to save Mary by divorcing her quietly. Joseph must have thought that Mary was in another relationship. To divorce her quietly will allow Mary to be engaged with the man who fathered the baby in her womb.

    This difficult situation in Joseph became the way for God to reveal the divine plan to this gentle and thoughtful man. God must have been “waiting” for the proper time when to reveal to Joseph the divine plan. Thus, when everything was in its place and when Joseph was ready enough, an angel revealed to Joseph the mind of God.

     How did this happen? It was when Joseph was asleep. As Joseph was asleep, God also worked wonders through him. Being asleep in the presence of God is putting all our trust and confidence in the power of God to change and to transform us. To fall asleep in God’s presence is a way of exercising patience. If it was not an act of patience, Joseph would have been eaten by his anxiety. He will not be able to sleep just like us when we are overwhelmed by our concerns and problems.

    Thus, as soon as Joseph awoke from his deep dream, he realized the fulfillment of what he was hoping for and the hope of all humanity, the joy of all. Joseph began to see the scandalous situation of Mary’s pregnancy through the eyes of faith and God’s love rather than on suspicion and disappointment.

    Joseph understood that Mary’s pregnancy was a statement of God’s faithfulness and commitment to us. This is God’s assurance to us now that he is present and he lives in the midst of our lives, in the midst of our pain, of our failures, hurts and fears in order to bring to us His mercy, love and friendship.

    This became the foundation of Joseph’s “patience” as he also faced more trials in his life as the husband of Mary and father to the young Jesus. Joseph proved that to be patient is to be able to listen, wait and discern God’s invitations for him.

    From here, St. Joseph tells us of two invitations.

    First. Learn to wait. This calls us to accept the reality that not everything is under our control. We have to wait then and trust the process that we are going through. May it be the process of towards our healing, towards the realization of our dreams, towards our growth as a person or towards understanding. This calls us also to grow in our confidence in God who promised to be with us and to journey with us in the most trying and even terrifying moments of our life.

    Second. Learn to discern. This is to be able to see life us God sees it; to be able to understand our reality as what God wants it to be understood. Therefore, this is not about “what I think” (or our personal opinion and personal understanding of things which can be very subjective and colored by our biases) but to be able to believe in God’s presence, thus, guiding us to know God’s desire for us. Hinaut pa.

  • ON TAKING RISKS AND NOT LOSING HOPE

    ON TAKING RISKS AND NOT LOSING HOPE

    March 15, 2020 – Feast of St. Clement Maria Hofbauer, CSsR

    Have you failed recently? Is life too difficult these days? Are you confused, depressed and sad of what is happening with your family, studies, work and your entire life now?

                Do not lose hope. Keep the positivity. Keep dreaming!

                Despite failures and difficulties, God has always something good and wonderful prepared for us that we may not yet aware of as of this moment. Life could be difficult these days for you, but never lose hope. Never be afraid of taking risk in trusting your loved ones, your friends, the Church and God especially.

                Today March 15, we, in the Redemptorist Family throughout the whole world, celebrates the Feast of St. Clement Maria Hofbauer. He is considered as the Second Founder of the Redemptorist Family because he took the risk and never lost his hope despite the many challenges and difficulties he faced. It was because of him that the Redemptorists are now present in more than 70 countries around the globe.

                St. Clement was born in Moravia, which is now in Czech Republic. He met “major, major” challenges in his life. At an early age, war had torn his childhood. His father died when he was seven. His mother was poor. As a young man, he had to work and study at the same time to reach his dream.  This is an experience of many working-students today.

                He dreamed of becoming a priest but it seemed that it was just so difficult. Moreover, he pursued his studies by becoming a baker and other works. Yet, as he applied to the local seminary, he was refused. However, this did not discourage him. He became a hermit at the beginning. A hermit is a person who lives alone in a remote place, dedicating life into prayer and penance.

                But, with his friend, Thaddeus Hubl, they journeyed to Rome to find a seminary who might welcome them. There in Rome, they found the Redemptorist Missionaries and expressed their desire, but still, though they had been accepted yet they experienced discrimination because they were not Italians. Again with His friend, Thaddeus, after their ordination, they volunteered and took the risk of doing missions outside Italy. They went to Warsaw, Poland, an action that was unimaginable by the Redemptorists at that time.

                St. Clement was indeed a risk taker and a believer of hope in God’s providence and generosity. In Poland, he revived a dying Church, founded an orphanage and helped victims of war. All these had been his childhood experiences. He lost his father at an early age and was displaced many times because of war. The difficulties of the past made him ready for this kind of challenges.

                However, he and his co-Redemptorists were expelled from Poland when another war broke out. They had to flee until they reached Vienna. Despite the difficulties, Clement did not lose hope. In fact, he made those difficult moments as opportunities to serve God and serve the people around them, whom he loved.

                In Vienna, he met and changed the lives of many young people, intellectuals and academicians. His presence and experiences in life became an inspiration to many. This was because he too was a witness of constant hoping amidst difficulties and challenges in life. He learned how to listen and dialogue with different kinds of people and won their hearts for the sake of Christ.

                In those times, he found God most near to him. And in those difficult times he allowed God to transform him, becoming a person for others by loving and serving, and not in complaining, bitterness and being depressed.

                So, chillax guys! St. Clement did it and so, we can! Continue to dream. Take the risk of trusting God and in not losing hope. All struggles of today shall bear good and wonderful fruits tomorrow. St. Clements has proven that to us!