Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Homilies

  • GOD WILL HEAL US

    GOD WILL HEAL US

    March 29, 2025 – Saturday of the Third Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032925.cfm)

    “Putting someone in a box” is an idiomatic expression in which we limit or categorize a person unfairly. We put a limit to a person’s character, qualities and whole being based on the label or role that we fix for them. This is a form of judging others that deprives them of hope, of healing.

    Indeed, we could become the righteous individuals who scrutinize people, searching for their faults. We could be that mean person whose main intention is to bring other people down by shaming and gossiping their weaknesses in order to hide our own sins. This happens among our families, circle of friends, in our workplaces or even in our organizations and communities.

    The Gospel of Luke tells us that Jesus addressed a parable “to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.”

    To become self-righteous and be convinced of it, blinds us. Thinking highly too much of ourselves prevents us from asking God to show his mercy upon us. Egoism believes that we do not need God’s mercy.

    In fact, when we become “the self-righteous person,” we begin to think of ourselves so highly that God is as if obliged to be good to us. Our heart is so perverted that we also begin to believe that God has to pay us for being good and righteous.

    Such was the case of the Pharisee in the parable. There was a reversal of relationship. God is as if the servant of this righteous person. Although he might be after of the rewards in his life for being righteous, yet, he was actually seeking to control God through his self-righteousness. Nevertheless, this attitude leads us to build an invisible wall that separates us from others.

    We might still have that idea of condemning our brothers and sisters who were considered terrible sinners. We too might have that attitude of separating those people whom we consider as unclean for fear of being contaminated and be associated with them.

    Yet, Jesus invites us today to rather look closely at ourselves and to examine better our intentions, thoughts and actions. This will lead us to that recognition of our failures and sins. This realization will hopefully make us to also join the tax collector in praying, “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

    By recognizing and owning our brokenness and sins, then, we begin to take the steps to come closer to the Lord. Hosea expressed this today, “Come, let us return to the Lord, it is he who has rent, but the Lord will heal us; he has struck us, but he will bind our wounds.”

    We remind ourselves that to both the righteous and the sinner, God does not condemn. The Lord desires our healing, reconciliation and fullness of life for all.

    This calls us to see more in the person of our brothers and sisters. We are challenged to stop our harsh judgments and condemnations. Stop our gossiping and image shaming that only destroy the image of our brother or sister.

    We are invited to be more understanding of those who failed but not in the sense of condoning such failures and sins. We are invited to be merciful rather than to be condemning. Hinaut pa.

  • IN GRATITUDE AND LOVE

    IN GRATITUDE AND LOVE

    March 28, 2025 – Friday of the Third Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032825.cfm)

    A scholar of the law asked Jesus, what was the greatest of all the commandments? Jesus responded with two that are inter-related. The first is, “to love God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.” And second, “to love your neighbor as yourself.”

    Our Christian faith must be rooted in these two commandments. However, following these two greatest commandments we need the right attitude.

    The possible failure and difficulty for many of us in practicing our faith is when we limit faith within church laws. Limiting ourselves within the imposed laws or commandments brings us into a legalistic attitude. This attitude believes that Christianity is only about fulfilling laws. When we break a law or a rule, we feel guilty.

    This attitude is not what God wants for us. God does not want us to merely feel guilty of the wrong we did. To only feel guilty does not make move forward. It does not inspire growth and maturity in our heart and spirit. Rather, God wants us to feel sorry because our response to Him is lacking and ungrateful. This makes us understand of the gravity of our faults. This brings us towards reconciliation and conversion.

    Indeed, we may have laws but God wants us to look what is behind these many laws. This is what Jesus said to the teachers of the law. Jesus revealed to them the meaning behind those laws, and that was love – to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

    We are only able to respond to God with love when we ourselves are conscious of God’s love for us, of God’s goodness and generosity in us.

    The first reading from the Book of Hosea tells us how God shows mercy and compassion to the erring people. God promised, “I will heal their disloyalty and love them with all my heart.” God as if speaking in human language, shows faithfulness to us despite our unfaithfulness.

    This experience of forgiveness, mercy, love and faithfulness from God moves us now to respond to God, to respond in “gratitude and love.” This is the right attitude that we are called to develop.

    Jesus invites us today – that as we live our lives as Christians, our response to God should be out of “gratefulness and love” not out of fear or mere obligation. Thus, faith is beyond obligation, it is a human response of love to the God who first loved us, as the late Pope Benedict XVI reminded us.

    Our love for God will then be shown in our words as well as in our actions. We express our generosity to those who are in need because we are grateful to God who is generous to us. We show our concern and affection to our friends because God shows his love to us in many ways. We forgive those who have hurt us because God has forgiven us first. Hinaut pa.

  • God’s Sign for us

    God’s Sign for us

    March 25, 2025 – Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032525.cfm)

    Asking for signs has been part of our belief and culture as far as our human civilization is concerned. We ask for signs when we make small and big decisions in life. We also look for signs both natural and supernatural to guide us. Among the indigenous people, being able to recognize and understand the many signs would either bring us to prosperity and blessing or to dangers and risks.

    On this Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, a great sign has been revealed for all humanity. What had been announced was the sign of redemption and life. Let us discover how Mary played a special role as she herself was the first to have received the sign from the Lord.

    The first reading from the Book of Isaiah relates to us a story of a person who refused God’s offer. Ahaz who was King of Judah was told to ask a sign from God. Yet, Ahaz refused. Why? He was asked so that he may believe in God’s faithfulness and salvation. This refusal of Ahaz was a show of not believing in God and a refusal to trust in the Lord. Ahaz, rather trusted another god, the King of Assyria.

    Assyria at that time was politically powerful. It had powerful army.. Ahaz thought that by trusting Assyria then he will have the certainty of protection and salvation. Judah at that time was threatened by other nations. Ahaz feared that his kingdom will end and his people will perish. Hence, he did not believe that God was the surest protection for the people.

    However, despite the refusal of Ahaz, God still promised a sign of salvation. This will be through the participation of a virgin who shall conceive a son. This son is the , Emmanuel, that God is with us.

    Indeed, even in our unbelief or refusal to believe in the Lord’s invitation, God is still in our midst. God remains faithful to us.

    This is the message to us on this Solemnity that we are called to take comfort. Yes, take comfort, because no matter how much fear, sadness, depression, worries, desperation and anxiety we are feeling at this very moment, God is with us! The Lord had given the sign for us. And this is hope.

    The prophecy in the Book of Isaiah was fulfilled through the participation of a young woman. Unlike Ahaz, Mary took the risk of trusting God despite the confusion, fear and suffering that she was to undergo.

    The angel Gabriel, whose name means, “God is powerful,” assured this young woman not to fear, because God is with her. The very presence of Gabriel was an assurance to Mary that God was working powerfully and wonderfully with her.

    This encounter became the space for Mary to receive God’s invitation. She was chosen to be that virgin who shall conceive a son, the greatest sign of God’s promise. The refusal of king Ahaz to God’s invitation was now being countered and redeemed through the acceptance of a simple young woman.

    Mary responded, “Yes, I am a servant of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word.” It was her full expression to participate in God’s action. This echoed both in our Psalm and in the Letter to the Hebrews, “Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.”

    Through the generous response and participation of Mary, the promise was fulfilled. In this way, Mary in turn also became a sign of God’s faithfulness and love. Mary who became the Mother of God, is also God’s sign of healing and life.

    This tells us now that our (human) participation is very important for God to fulfill the promise of salvation and restoration, of healing and freedom. Without our participation, God cannot also work with us and through us. God cannot just impose even though God is powerful. God is not an imposing God. Rather, God calls us.

    On this Solemnity of the Annunciation, through the person of Mary and her participation, we too are called to respond to God’s invitation. We are called to participate in God’s action of fulfilling the promise of salvation, healing and restoration.

    We may ask ourselves, how is God calling me now to participate in God’s plan of healing and bringing salvation to all? In what way I could be of help for others or bring blessings to those who are most in need? In what way I could inspire hope and give comfort to those who are afflicted, those who are sick, grieving, depressed and lonely?

    Like Mary, let us also ponder and keep in our hearts God’s invitation. Like her, we may also become God’s sign of healing and blessings for others. Hinaut pa.

  • THE CALL OF CONVERSION

    THE CALL OF CONVERSION

    March 23, 2025 – Third Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032325-YearC.cfm)

    Our fear of failure or our anxiety of what would others think can drive us to grow complacent, to settle down to comforts and even make us bored.[1] When we are unaware of these tendencies then the more we hold back. This would hamper us from maturing in our relationships and honing our talents and potentials.

    On this Third Sunday of Lent, let us allow ourselves to be challenged and to embraced the call of conversion.

    The first reading from the Book of Exodus tells us a wonderful story of the call of Moses. His call from God captures the invitation for each of us as we are now on the third Sunday of Lent. Let us explore together our readings today and see how God invites and calls us.

    The first reading tells us of the conversion of Moses. It began through the “burning bush” which led Moses to encounter God.

    Moses noticed the flaming bush but was not consumed by fire. This made Moses to become curious. His curiosity led him to come nearer to the burning bush. It was at that moment too that he heard his name being called. With that, Moses responded. He became aware of the holy presence of God as he was standing on a holy ground.

    Moses had to remove his sandals and to present himself in bare foot before God. That led him to a personal conversation with God because he was more grounded. By removing his sandals, Moses felt and became more connected with God. Moreover, this encounter brought Moses to a mission. God sent Moses back to Egypt to bring freedom for his fellow Israelites.

    This encounter of Moses allowed him to know God and be more aware of God. God’s name is “I am who am” or basically means, “I am with you always, all the time.”

    Moses realized that God is relational. This means that God does not remain remote or alien to human suffering. In fact, the Book of Exodus described God’s words in this way, “I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry of complaint against their slave drivers, so I know well what they are suffering.”

    This conversion story of Moses tells us that God disturbs us from our comforts, fears and complacency. Remember, Moses fled Egypt because he killed an Egyptian soldier who had beaten a Hebrew slave. The burning bush then, became the opportunity for Moses to encounter and know God, and being called and challenged by God as well.

    In the second reading, St. Paul reminds us of this call towards conversion.  The history of unfaithfulness, of the grave sin committed by the people in the past must be a learning experience. That cannot be forgotten. St. Paul calls us, definitely, not to grow complacent and to just be secured with what we have in this world. He even expressed this in these words, “whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.” 

    In the same manner, the call of conversion is also revealed in today’s parable in the Gospel of Luke. In that parable of the fig tree, Jesus tells us that the Father is a God of many chances. God gives us many chances to change our ways and to come nearer to him so that we may find fullness of life.

    This is described to us as Jesus expressed in the parable how the owner visited the fig tree. Yet, in the person of the gardener, Jesus tells us that indeed, God gives us another chance when we fail and commit mistakes, when we grow complacent and refuse to be life-giving. The gardener expressed hope to the owner as he asked him to give the fig tree another year. The gardener promised to cultivate it so that it may bear fruit. The gardener saw hope for transformation and hope of being fruitful in that tree.

    Indeed, God always sees hope in each of us too. This was how God saw hope in Moses who left Egypt to hide and to make him as God’s messenger. God also saw hope among his people who were made slaves in a foreign land to give them the fullness of life.

    Out of these things, there are three invitations that I want you to remember on this Third Sunday of Lent.

    First, be more conscious of our own “burning bush.” This “burning bush” could be an experience where we also became curious about God. Discover and affirm those moments of your personal encounter with God.

    Second, remove our sandals, as what Moses did. Let us remove anything that is not helpful and toxic. Remove and get rid of those that prevent our growth.  We are challenged to remove and let go any unnecessary things, attitudes, behaviors, opinions, beliefs and lifestyle that prevent us from becoming a life-giving person.

    Third, go beyond. This is the message of hope and the call of conversion. We are not limited by our failures and mistakes in life, not even by our sickness, struggles and difficulties that we have at this moment. God sees hope in us and it is God’s desire that we are able to enjoy life and celebrate life in its fullness. Thus, go beyond from our protected shells of pretensions and complacency. Go beyond  from our fears and sins by seeking peace and reconciliation. Go beyond from our insecurities, anger, hatred, disappointment and trauma by making ourselves confident with God’s gift of healing and of his faithfulness. Hinaut pa.

    [1] https://ryanestis.com/why-do-we-become-complacent-comfortable-and-bored/#:~:text=Fear%20of%20failure%20or%20the,%2C%20relationships%2C%20happiness%20and%20fulfillment.

  • HOPE? Only If & When….

    HOPE? Only If & When….

    March 23, 2025 – Third Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032325-YearC.cfm)

    How do we make sense of a lot of things going on with our lives nowadays? Still adjusting from the life-threatening 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. On the jubilee year of Hope, as pilgrims of hope amidst challenging life-situations, we also ponder & discern the question: “Is there and can we still HOPE in life?

    As some people reported to Jesus about disasters and killings happened to 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 now & ahead?” Sometimes with a lot of miseries happening in our world today, like calamities, wars, poverty, disasters, exploitation, corruptions, electioneering and injustices, we do find life at times 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 at the eyes. But many at times, he could be too rude to force others to give him 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  scraps. 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 reassures 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 & pruning for us to repentance, conversion and Christian life. For Him, there is still hope for those who repent and believe in the Gospel – for those who cleans up their golden bowl of our Christian faith.

    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 our golden bowl of chance to live God has already given & blessed us. Otherwise, there is no hope and meaning at all.

    Perhaps more than saying that “We are Filipinos for nothing”, more so we should believe & proclaim to ourselves & others that “We are Filipino Christians for nothing.”

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

    So be it. Amen.