Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Homilies

  • WHEN RESENTMENT CONSUMES US

    WHEN RESENTMENT CONSUMES US

    February 17, 2025 – Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021725.cfm)

    A person who becomes resentful in a relationship or work or in any other things, can easily nurture emotions like anger, frustrations and disappointments. When these negative emotions are being built up from within and being “nested,” the more the heart becomes resentful and even violent.

    Yet, our resentful heart does not acknowledge the wrong or the failure in us but only blames our frustrations and anger towards others. We could easily hold grudges against others; having a passive-aggressive expressions of anger in the forms of sarcasm, overly critical and inaction or indifference. And these are also forms of bitterness of the heart that slowly consumes and destroys our relationships.

    This is what happened in the story we have today in the Book of Genesis. Cain, the first born of Adam and Eve, grew resentful towards God and jealous towards his younger brother, Abel.

    Cain must have felt that God was unfair towards him because the Lord only accepted the offerings of Abel and his was rejected. Abel’s attitude was different from his brother. Abel offered the best and what was due to God. Abel offered those gifts as an act of thanksgiving. He offered his best gifts out of joy and gratitude.

    However, Cain only gave his offerings passively and complacently. It was rejected not because of the value of his gifts, but the attitude of his heart. Cain’s offering was not an act of devotion and gratitude to the Lord, and thus, his offering was rejected. His ungrateful heart has become seedbed of his resentment. He felt wronged by God and seen Abel as his competitor.

    This resentment grew more in his heart. The Lord God warned Cain of this, “sin is a demon lurking at the door; his urge is toward you…” This was how Cain allowed his resentment to consume him until he became vicious and violent. And so Cain, with a deceptive heart brought his brother Abel away and killed him.

    And worst, when God asked the whereabouts of Abel, Cain responded again with a resentful heart, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” This only confirms his guilt and the blood in his hands. This was such a horrifying and sad story between brothers.

    This resentful heart also reflected in today’s Gospel among the Pharisees who demanded signs from Jesus. It was the hardness of their hearts and vicious thoughts that made Jesus to “sigh from the depth of his spirit.” They asked for a sign, yet, they cannot recognize the greatest sign in front of them, already talking with them.

    However, despite this tendency in us, the Lord gives us a chance. God sees hope in us as well. This was the reason why God never condemned Cain to death, not to condone his actions, but give a chance for Cain to repent, to be renewed and to be freed from the evil in his heart.

    Indeed, we also ask the grace that our heart may not become resentful and bitter but will rather be grateful and contented. Having such attitude in our heart, may we always be mindful of God’s revelations and His presence. Hinaut pa.

  • BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE LORD

    BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE LORD

    February 16, 2025 – Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021625.cfm)

    How blessed are you today? How do we also measure that experience of being blessed? Do we depend on the material things we enjoy? Or the spiritual graces that we receive? Or the satisfied and contented state of life?

    Well, it really matters on how we understand blessing or being blessed. Commonly, when we think of a life that is blessed we think of material wealth and prosperity. This includes having a good family, a booming business, a successful career, good paying job, or having a good health. Thus, our easy understanding of being blessed has something to do with success and material possessions.

    Yet, as we look at life in a bigger reality, we see that poverty is never a blessing. To live poor and being deprived of many things in life make us insecure with many things. The same goes with being persecuted, being sick, being mistreated or being rejected is never a blessing. If we are experiencing such life now, do you consider yourself being blessed?

    However, there is a twist, a different perspective and understanding of “being blessed.” This is what our readings this Sunday offer us to realize and discern.

    May I invite you then, that we revisit again the readings and see how the Lord guides and calls to understand blessing and our life from God’s perspective rather than from a materialistic point of view.

    In the Book of Jeremiah in the first reading, the prophet reminds us to trust in the Lord and not to rely on human strength and capacity. True enough that we can exercise great power in terms of our intelligence, will, material wealth and influence yet all of these will pass away because we will all die, one day, sooner or later. This means that our dependence on these forms of material satisfactions can be a mere human arrogance and a false sense of security.

    In fact, the author of the Psalm expressed the same message reminding us that the “counsel of the wicked” may appear enticing because it promises an easy way out, instant riches and satisfaction. Nevertheless, it is empty and we shall find no contentment because the “counsel of the wicked” makes us crave for more and gain for more for ourselves. This is actually the promise of addictions, in whatever form that may be, whether addiction to drugs, alcohol, sex, influence and fame, wealth and power (political or economic power).

    In the same way, Jesus warns those who in the standard of the world are blessed such as the satisfied, the rich, the powerful, the popular and the influential.

    The danger and evil now lies in the attitude of the heart that becomes independent from God. This is a heart that rejects God’s offer of friendship, mercy and love. Moreover, Jesus warns us when we tend to accumulate more wealth for ourselves at the expense of the poor, or when we consolidate power and influence at the expense of others, or when we seek to be praised and recognized by others by means of manipulations and abuse of power.

    Such attitude of the heart is filled with arrogance and self-centeredness that has no need of God. Our successes and we, ourselves, have become ‘gods.’

    But then, all of these would corrupt us because we will never be satisfied. We will thirst and hunger for more wealth, recognition and power which will also lead to our own destruction and those who are around us and those blocking our way to gain for more, as any form of addiction will also result in this way. Again, this is what Prophet Jeremiah reminds us, because those who turn away from the Lord are barren and empty.

    However, in God’s perspective those who are poor, sick, persecuted, those who failed and rejected are blessed because it is in our poverty and difficulty that we realize our weakness and of our need of God.

    Such insecurities bring us to understand that we are so small in this world and we are in need of God’s grace. That is why; Jesus addressed these Beatitudes to his disciples, assuring them of his presence. His disciples left everything, their families, jobs and the comfort of home. They went to places where sometimes they have to sleep without roof. Authorities ridiculed them and insulted them for following Jesus.

    This is what Jeremiah affirmed as well as in our Psalm, “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord.” Thus, the very presence of God in our life is what makes us “blessed.” Since God favors the weak, poor, suffering and struggling in life, they are the ones who are blessed because they understand their need of God. Remember, God comes to us when we are ready to accept God in our life and to let God be our God.

    God invites us then, to recognize our own poverty and anxieties because God blesses us with His presence. St. Paul reminds us, God is faithful. The resurrection of Jesus is our assurance. We might feel his absence at times when we are overwhelmed with difficulties and fears; yet, God remains with us.

    The material wealth that we have gained, the influence and fame that we have received and the successes that we have achieved are signs of God’s grace and generosity. When we have these, may these lead us to humble ourselves and to recognize that these are gifts and we ought to share them to others.

    And so, when we have received much, share the blessings to those who are in need without any expectation of a return of investment. If you are enjoying success in life, share the experience with those who failed. If you have achieved much in life, be humble enough to become an inspiration for others. In this way the Kingdom of God will truly be present among us, because we ourselves will become blessing to each one. Hinaut pa.

  • BY Our Faith & Trust in Him

    BY Our Faith & Trust in Him

    February 16, 2025 – Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021625.cfm)

    Who do we consider nowadays the fortunate lucky people who seems to be more blessed by God? And who do we consider nowadays the unfortunate, unlucky people who seems to be cursed by God?

    For us nowadays, people who are rich, affluent, and wealthy, who got and has everything they need and want in plenty are the fortunate. Fortunate also are those who are popular, powerful, and influential – who can control and trick people for their own advantage at their beck and call. We also consider fortunate those people who are smart and knowledgeable who knows too much and can outwit and outsmart others by getting the best and extra from the situation like rewards, prizes, money, “pogi” points, power, or media coverage. In other words, maabilidad ug marunong o maru (shrewd) are seemed to be blessed by God.

    And for us today, people who are poor, deprived, and marginalized are unfortunate. Unlucky are those who have less or nothing at all, in terms of food, education, power and influence. Those who are ignorant, innocent, mayukmok (the lesser ones) – easily fooled and deceived by others are seemed to be cursed by God.

    In other words, in the eyes of the world, the rich – the “haves” and “well-to-do” seems to be blessed by God, while the poor – the “have-nots” and “nothing-to-do” seems to be cursed by God. However, the fortunate, lucky, and blessed as well as the unfortunate, unlucky, and cursed people of our world today are the exact opposite of the blessed and cursed people of our Lord Jesus Christ.

    Contrary to our popular notion today, the fortunate, lucky, and blessed people, for Jesus is not the rich, affluent, wealthy, popular, powerful, influential, smart, and knowledgeable people of today – but those who are poor, hungry, weeping, hated, rejected, insulted, deprived, deceived, marginalized or ignorant people of today. And for Jesus, those who are rich, full, happy, and praised by others whom we considered today as fortunate, lucky, and blessed are the unfortunate, unlucky, and cursed.

    Well, what does it mean? Does it mean Jesus uphold poverty, starvation, deception, oppression, discrimination and suffering of today? Does it mean that for us to be fortunate and blessed before God we have to be poor, hungry, weeping, suffering – in silence, hated, deprived and discriminated by others? NO. This is not about being fortunate or cursed but about our Faith and trust in God. At the heart of today’s reading is not about being fortunate and cursed but the theme of Faith & Trust in God.

    Our first reading today gave us a contrast of the fate of those who trust in human beings with fate of those who trust in God. Those who trust in human beings are like a barren desert shrub; whereas those who trust in God are like a fruitful tree planted beside a flowing river. Jesus in our gospel today is telling and teaching us that those who trust in God are righteous and finds favor in God, but those who trust only in human beings and in themselves are wicked and unfortunate.

    What makes then a person blessed or cursed, lucky or unlucky, fortunate, or unfortunate is not on the condition where he is in, but in His faith and trust in God. What counts and matters most, then, is our faith and trust in God. And to trust in God is to rely on God as to be the one source of life. This would mean that in life and whatever happens in our life, we must trust and rely not on our way, our will, and our accomplishments but on God’s Way, God’s will, and God’s mercy.

    For Jesus, then, blessed are those who trust in God and cursed are those who trust only in others and in themselves. Blessed are the poor, hungry, weeping, hated, insulted because they trust in God. They have faith in God, they have nothing else but God. Cursed are the rich, full, happy, and praised by others because they have everything else but God. In other words, by our trust in Him we are blessed & by relying only on others & oneself we are cursed. As St. Theresa of Calcuta would remind us, “God does not call us to be successful but to be Faithful in Life”.

    Here, we must also see that God’s blessings are not only “yet to come” but are “here and now”. It is not only a promise but a reality. It is His gift to us now who trust in Him – not as the reward that we expect and need from him, for what we are receiving from Him is more abundant than just what we need and expect from Him. And usually God’s blessings come as a surprised Gift which is beyond our expectation.

    As a text message I once received say, which could be our today’s prayer: “God’s blessings may come as a surprise and how much we receive depends on how much our heart can believe. May we be blessed beyond what we expect, as we believe and trust in Him. God bless.”

    So May It Be. Amen.

  • Blaming Others vs Acknowledgement of Faults

    Blaming Others vs Acknowledgement of Faults

    February 15, 2025 – Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021525.cfm)

    Is it easy to own our failures and mistakes and take the responsibility for the consequences? The general behavior in us, as human beings because of social and cultural influences around us, is to appear clean and infallible. Mistakes and failures are mostly viewed negatively. In our upbringing, our experiences tell us that committing to a mistake or failure would bring us painful and sometimes shameful consequences.

    As a result, when we commit a mistake or failure, instead of acknowledging it immediately, we would try to deviate and make a lot of reasons to explain that it is not our fault but caused by something outside of us. We would make reasonable explanation that it was out of our control. But worst, we could also dare to blame others for the failure that happened.

    This is the very situation that happened in today’s story in the Book of Genesis. Hence, the man must have pointed his judging finger to the woman who gave him the fruit. “No, not me! It was her! She gave me the fruit!”

    Yet, the woman also responded to deny the accusation of her husband, “Not me either. It was the serpent!” See, both of them denied the responsibility of eating the fruit and realizing that they were naked. Both succumbed to the blame-game to deny full responsibility of their disobedience and disrespect to God’s commandment.

    Nevertheless, what was really the issue in this story? Was it because of eating a desirable fruit? Was it because of the presence of the serpent that tempted them? Or the presence of evil around them?

    Both of them, the woman and the man, were tempted not just because the fruit was desirable to eat. The fruit was only a symbol of a greater temptation. The cunning serpent, engaged the woman in a conversation by asking, “Did God really say that you will die?”

    The question was an opening of the serpent’s temptation for both man and woman to believe that they can become like gods. This means that the temptation was in believing that they will be in complete control of everything. They must have believed too that they did not have everything in paradise, that God deprived them of many things. The unquenchable desire to have everything must have consumed them. They can only have everything when they too will become like gods.

    However, the moment they tasted the fruit and came to know what is good and what is evil, they too realized their smallness and nothingness before God. This was the reason why they hid from the Lord God. They knew that they have sinned and that sin led them to fear. Fear is filled with guilt and shame.

    This is the reason why Adam and Eve were hiding. Their nakedness tells us of their guilt and shame. Yet, their guilt never made them to take the responsibility that they have sinned. As a result, they became trapped in the cycle of blaming. Adam blamed Eve. And Eve blamed the Serpent. And perhaps, we today, might also blame God for putting the serpent among them.

    Because of this, the intimacy between man, woman, and God was shattered. In the same way, man and woman lost their closeness with God. It was them who distanced from God. Thus, sin, without acknowledgment makes us hide yet, it leads to destruction and to death.

    But remember, this is also how God intervenes. God calls us. In the garden, God’s words, “Where are you?” were not of condemnation but of invitation to come closer. God continues to search us not to destroy us but to renew us, to recreate us, to give us the fullness of God’s grace and presence.

    This is how the Gospel of Mark tells us now of the heart of Jesus. Jesus felt the hunger of the people. Jesus felt their need to be filled and be satisfied. The heart of Jesus was surely, so close to the people. The Gospel said, the “heart of Jesus is moved with pity.” This is love that redeems and saves.

    For that reason, Jesus wants his disciples to learn from that kind of love. It was love that gives even when there is nothing left for us. It was a complete dependence on God’s generosity. That was how the miracle happened, as Jesus was moved with pity and so the disciples too and all those people around them.

    Therefore, let us allow the Lord to find us today as we humbly acknowledge our failures rather than blame others. Let us also learn from the heart of Jesus, that we may too be moved with pity so that God’s grace will truly fill and satisfy our every longing and desire. Hinaut pa.

  • Ephphatha-Be Opened!

    Ephphatha-Be Opened!

    February 14, 2024 – Memorial of Sts. Cyril and Methodius

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021425.cfm)

    There are two different contexts and situations in today’s readings that tell us of the spiritual significance of being opened. This is something that I want to share and discern with you today, as we also celebrate the Valentine’s Day!

    In the Book of Genesis, we are led now to the story of the temptation and falling from grace of humanity, portrayed in the actions of the woman and man. As they listened the words of the serpent that brought the temptation to them, the two can’t resist the idea of “becoming like gods.” The fruit that was forbidden to them, because it “looked good, pleasing to the eyes and desirable for gaining wisdom” was shared by the two. They were convinced that they can become equal to the Lord God, the creator and giver of life.

    Yet, they were wrong! As soon, as they ate the fruit, their “eyes were opened.” This brought realization to the man and woman of the great sin they have committed against the Lord God. The fruit did not open a door for them to become gods, but, it opened to shame, guilt and misery.

    This was the reason why they covered themselves with leaves and hid from the presence of God. They were filled with shame. Their nakedness did not only mean that they did not wear anything at all, but of the realization of having nothing at all because of their separation from the grace of God. They made themselves open to sin and misery, and open to evil and death.

    Yet, despite what happened, the Book of Genesis reminds us that the Lord God moved about in the garden looking for them. As the sinful man and woman hid in shame, God opened a new beginning for restoration and healing.

    This brings us now into the message of the Responsorial Psalm. The author acknowledges the shame and guilt brought by sin. In God’s mercy, sin is forgiven for those who humbled and embraced their weakness. God renews us as we declared, “Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.”

    Moreover, Jesus, in today’s Gospel, fulfills the longing for healing and restoration in the miracle story of a deaf and mute man. As Jesus showed his compassion for this man who must have been subjected to ridicule and mistreatment from others, he too was touched by those friends of the man. Unlike the common treatment and belief at that time, sick people were badly mistreated and rejected because of the fear of contamination.

    This became an opportunity for Jesus to work wonders and bring healing to the man. Jesus touching the man and using his saliva uttered the Aramaic word, “Ephphatha!” that is, be opened!

    At that, the ears and mouth of the man opened up and began to speak. This opening from the man removed his disability to hear and speak. The gift of healing received by the man made him be restored.

    Now, we see the differences between the two openings. The first was not of God and so it brought the man and woman to shame and guilt. The second was of God and brought the man to healing and restoration.

    This tells us now how the Lord, indeed, desires our completeness and freedom. The Lord desires that we experience and live life to the fullest.

    We are called and invited today to be open! Let the voice and word of Jesus, “Ephphatha” makes us open to God’s presence and wonders, to God’s mysteries being unfolded each day, to God’s unconditional love and forgiveness.

    Since it’s Valentine’s Day, let us also be open in our relationships in order to build trust, better communication. honesty and intimacy.

    Let us also be open to become loving and forgiving even with those whom we may consider as unlovable and unlikeable. Let us also open our ears and eyes to realize and respond to the needs around us. Let us open our mouth to speak about the injustices in our society as well as to share the Gospel of mercy and peace. Hinaut pa.