Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Homilies

  • Being In-SPIRIT

    Being In-SPIRIT

    June 5, 2022 – Pentecost Sunday

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060522-day.cfm)

    Perhaps you have had experiences of a moment when you were so caught up with the wonders of the moment that inspired you to say how great it is, in your own language. And then, a foreigner caught up with the same experience of the moment, utter words of how great it is… and also in your own native language.

    Like once, my Pilipino friend and I were walking sight-seeing in a street of Brussels, Belgium. We caught sight of a beautiful painting being done in the plaza. In our amazement, we both loudly utter words: Ang Ganda, ano. “Ohh, Such a beauty”. And then a Belgian guy also in wonder say: “Oo nga, napakaganda” (Oh Yes, Beautiful).  All of us (Pinoy and Belgian) where not only caught up with the beauty of the painting, but also with the beauty of the moment where we can communicate and understand each other our appreciation of the experience.

    Perhaps the same experience could be said about a French man who tries to eat Batchoy inside a restaurant amidst Filipinos, and tasting it, said: “Namit Gid”. All present understand how great the batchoy is, that even a foreigner is able to appreciate its taste in our own language and native tongue. In other words, Napa-Ilonggo/Hiligaynon sa Sarap. O Napa-Tagalog sa Ganda.

    Our shared experiences of wonders and mutual understanding among diverse cultures somehow describes us the experiences of the disciples and the faithful of Pentecost.

    Church tradition has it that fifty days after His resurrection (ten days after His ascension), on the day of Pentecost, the disciples received the promised gift of Holy Spirit to the church, and inspired them to speak in different languages to proclaim the Good News of God’s salvation. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, people from different cultures then and until now are able to speak, hear and understand each other’s faith in their own native tongues. Because of such experience, today marks the birthday of the Church – the day of birth, the day when the church becomes alive. The gift of the Holy Spirit is thus very essential in the life of the Church. Like a soul to a body, the church is dead without the movements of the spirit, as well as the spirit cannot inspire our faith-life without the church. We, the church needs the Holy Spirit to live, as well as the Holy Spirit needs our Church to offer us salvation, meaning and direction in life. For how does the Holy Spirit may work in our lives?

    First, the Holy Spirit makes us experience and witness the present moment. Like being caught up with the beauty of a painting or scenery, with the delicious taste of food, with the wonders of the building, cooking, or working processes, with the intensity of a good book read, a good drama play or movie, and like the risen Lord made Himself known to his disciples, the Holy Spirit inspires us to situate and appreciate ourselves in the present experience. In other words, the Holy Spirit offers us PRESENCE in the here and now.

    Second, the Holy Spirit compels us to share our inspiration of the present moment with others. Our inspiration then is not ours to keep but to be shared with others. Like falling and being in love, the Holy Spirit moves us to proclaim and communicate our life and inspiration with others in a way that we can understand each other. In other words, the Holy Spirit provides us the LANGUAGE to express and communicate our inspiration of the present moment.

    And lastly, the Holy Spirit makes us respond rightly and accordingly to the inspiration-given and shared. Like Jesus giving us the mandate and mission to witness and proclaim our faith to all nations, the Holy Spirit encourages us to lead our lives according to our faith-life inspirations. In other words, the Holy Spirit obliges us a LIFESTYLE – a way of being and becoming human in life.

    Like, as Love is one of its gift, the Holy Spirit inspires us to love and be loved, to express humanly such love with “an-other” and others, as well as to live our lives as loving and beloved person. In the same way with Faithfulness, the Holy Spirit inspires us to have faith and trust in the risen Lord in life, to express, proclaim, and share our faith with others (regardless of culture and race), and to practice and live out such faith in our daily lives. The Holy Spirit thus concretely offers us PRESENCE – LANGUAGE – LIFESTYLE of Love and Faith in life. That is how essential Holy Spirit is into our daily lives as Christian and as Church.

    We can only receive what is being offered. We can only share what we already have. It will be given to us whenever we allow and invite the Holy Spirit into our very lives now. We welcome then the Holy Spirit into our lives now so that others may feel its presence, relate with its language, & live its lifestyle in our new-normal world today.  As we celebrate the birthday of the Church, we invite the Holy Spirit into our lives as we pray: “Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the Earth.” Amen. 

  • GOD DOES SO MANY WONDERS WITH US

    GOD DOES SO MANY WONDERS WITH US

    June 4, 2022 – Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060422.cfm)

    There would be times in our life that we cannot help but compare negatively ourselves with others. We begin to see more defects, more failings, more pain and more insecurities in our life especially when we are also going through something and when life gets rough for us. That helplessness must have come from our desire to understand our situation and to cope up with the struggle we are going through.

    Thus, we compare our insecurities against the fortunes and blessings of others to justify our situation. This must be our way of coping. Yet, we also know that it does not help us see beyond and move forward. The more we compare ourselves with others, the lesser we see ourselves and belittle our worth. This only brings us into a dead end.

    This is how our relationships and understanding of oneself affect us when we grow in this kind of perspective and attitude. It can be a plague not just among young people but even among professionals, siblings, neighbors and colleagues. The bitterness of comparison and insecurities can poison our relationship with one another.

    However, it is always God’s desire that we discover our full potentials, develop more our capacities and grow maturely in our relationships and become life-giving. This is what Jesus wanted for Peter to realize also.

    In today’s Gospel, Peter expressed his anxiety to Jesus over the beloved disciple. Peter was anxious and perhaps also curious on what would happen to the beloved disciple. Peter asked, “Lord, what about him?” He must have other questions in mind like, “What are your plans for him? Do you have something in mind for him aside from me?” That anxiety of Peter must have come from jealousy because of the fact that the disciple was called “beloved,” meaning, the favorite of Jesus. This was how also word (gossip) spread among the brothers that the beloved disciple would not die.

    Yet, Jesus said, “What concern is it of yours?” Jesus wanted Peter to recognize his potentials, to fully embrace what he was capable of, and to respond generously to Jesus’ call for him and not be distracted by what others have. Jesus wanted Peter to trust him completely because Jesus shall work many wonders with Peter and in each one of them according to their talents and personalities.

    In fact, the Gospel told us today, “there are so many things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.” This, indeed, is a statement how the Lord worked wonders with Peter and in each of the disciples.

    In each of us too, Jesus works many wonders with us if we would allow him to. Hence, these are God’s invitation for us today.

    First, when we begin the cycle of comparing ourselves from others, catch that mentality and attitude then begin to shift our perspective. Let us begin recognizing our own worth, reclaiming our potentials and talents. This will surely help us to become confident with ourselves by becoming more grateful.

    Second, to trust fully the Lord. Trusting the Lord does not mean that we will not be able to feel frustrated and disappointed anymore. The Lord may bring or call us to situations that we personally do not want. The Lord may work wonders with us in the way we do not expect it to be that way. Thus, trusting fully the Lord is allowing ourselves to become confident with ourselves and confident in God’s presence doing many wonders with us and through us. Kabay pa.

  • DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE?

    DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE?

    June 3, 2022 – Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060322.cfm)

    Peter was asked by the Lord, “Do you love me more than these?” And Peter responded that his love for the Lord was beyond his failings, beyond his fears, beyond his denials, beyond his doubts. His love was a response of a greater love he received from God who despite his human failings, he was blessed and called.

    Such love moved Peter to respond fully and offer completely his whole life and to let go of other things in his life. Those things include his hurts and pains, his personal dreams, career and even family, moved him to be completely available for God and for others.

    This is a story that totally changed a person’s understanding of himself, a person’s perspective of life and relationships, and of a person’s belief in God. Remember, Peter was hopeless after the death of Jesus. He was filled with guilt because of his denial of Jesus. He was in darkness. This was the reason why we went back to fishing, going back again to his old self, old way of life and old ways of coping from problems and trials in life.

    Yet, we also find the presence of Jesus, who never surrendered on Peter. There was the Risen Lord calling again Peter and the other disciples to find and recognize the Lord even at that disappointing night of catching nothing.

    Love then is beyond our human feelings. Love is beyond our light and joyful moments in life even beyond our failings and pains. Love entails our daily commitment and generous response. It calls us to care for others, to look and tend for the welfare of others and to be able to give life for others.

    This was how Peter was asked three times and was told also three times to tend and feed Jesus’ sheep, that is God’s people, God’s Church. Peter in return understood that he was loved by the Lord beyond his failures and inadequacies. Peter saw his potentials and gift to become a loving and a life-giving person to be expressed in his ministry.

    In the same way, the Lord also calls us today, to respond in love that we way also be able to recognize that despite our failures, we are being loved unconditionally. And that despite our other attachments in life, we are asked to make it clear that God is our priority, that the Lord takes the central part of our thoughts and hearts.

    May this allow us to constantly change our selfish and fear-motivated thoughts and actions into a free, caring and life-giving act of love wherever we are at this moment, and whatever is our status today. Kabay pa.

  • TAKE COURAGE

    TAKE COURAGE

    June 2, 2022 – Thursday of the 7th Week of Easter

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060222.cfm)

    In the past few days, we have been following the prayers of Jesus just before his passion and death. Most of these prayers of Jesus speak of oneness and of friendship. Jesus speaks about these because he has most probably felt already the suffering that he will undergo. There will be great feelings of fear, confusion, of loneliness and abandonment.

    In this prayer of Jesus, he expresses his gratitude to the Father for giving him the gift of friendship with his disciples. This friendship gives comfort to Jesus. Yet, he also feels that his friends are afraid, confused and insecure. Thus, Jesus prays that his friends may be one with him, may never leave him but will accompany him in his suffering.

    However, these friends of Jesus turned out to be overwhelmed by their fear and insecurities. They fled and hid themselves for fear of being persecuted. After all, they left Jesus alone.

    But this attitude of the disciples never made Jesus to surrender on them. Jesus remains grateful to the Father because he saw something beyond the imperfection and unfaithfulness of his friends.

    Indeed, Jesus trusts the wisdom of the Father for giving him these kinds of friends. These friends are also the very sign of the Father’s love to him. Beyond the unfaithfulness and fear of the disciples are the image and the presence of God in them.

    The disciples realized this after the resurrection of Jesus. This event gradually changed them completely. Indeed, it was in this way that they have become one with Jesus. And true indeed, they were the Father’s gift to Jesus because each of Jesus’ friends became his witnesses to all the nations.

    This is the experience of Paul, who was a true witness of Jesus, as described to us in the Acts of the Apostles. What sustained Paul from those accusations and persecutions was his friendship with the Lord and the friendship he developed with the other believers of Jesus. This is how the Lord himself assured Paul and told him, “Take courage.” The Lord stood by him. This is friendship!

    We, too, are the Father’s gift to Jesus. As gifts, we are very precious to Jesus because we are his friends. We may also find ourselves weak, fearful and insecure like the disciples, but remember, Jesus will never surrender on us because he sees something beyond our weaknesses and fears. Jesus sees himself in us!

    As Jesus wishes that we may be one with him to see his glory, we are invited to remain firm in our faith and conviction as Christians. But, when we find ourselves going away from Jesus, let us come to him again, to come closer to him. It is only in being with him that we too shall find our true peace and comfort.

    Today, let us be grateful of the friendship we have with Jesus and of the friendship we have developed with other people. Like Jesus, we may also see the person of Jesus in our friends, to see Jesus beyond the imperfection and weaknesses of our friends. Take courage, then, because we have friends. Kabay pa.

  • WHEN GIVING IS A BLESSING

    WHEN GIVING IS A BLESSING

    June 1, 2022 – Seventh Week of Easter

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060122.cfm)

    How blessed really are those who give than those who merely receive? Most of us actually think that we are more blessed when we receive something. It is wonderful to be a recipient of some goods from others because we don’t have to exert effort but only to open our hands. How nice would that be!

    Yet, there are interesting different attitudes between a constant receiver and a generous giver. People who are constantly receiving gifts, or those who demand to receive may they be material or not would tend to have low self-esteem, or insecure and unsatisfied with what they have already in this life. Thus, if this becomes our attitude, we too grow to become self-entitled and demanding towards others for our own benefit and advantage. Because of these attitudes, when we become people who constantly seek the generosity of others, we also tend to keep things for ourselves alone but ungenerous to others.

    These affect how we see ourselves, believing that we don’t have enough compared to others. We also become negative in our dealings and relationships with other people because we are inclined to see what is only ugly and unpleasant for us. And so, when people like these, initiate to give something to others, their gifts or good deeds have always hidden motives. This means that we only give because we expect something bigger in return. This attitude rather seeks what is only good and comfortable for ourselves because at the very first place, we are motivated by a selfish desire.

    On the other hand, persons who are truly generous of their gifts, of their presence and of their person, are confident. Yet, it does not mean that their confidence comes from the many things that they have acquired in this life. This confidence rather comes from faith because that person truly believes in God’s generosity and providence. That is why, a true generous person is always grateful. Yes, generosity springs forth from a heart that is grateful to God and the act of giving is a response of a grateful heart.

    This is what St. Paul told us in the Acts of the Apostles – “It is better to give than to receive.” Paul was called by Jesus and was given freedom. It led Paul to faith and his faith made him grateful and thus, a generous person expressed in giving himself for the proclamation of the Good News. He was not after silver or gold, to enrich himself but to give generously his presence for the people to whom he was sent as a minister. Indeed, this is an expression that giving is a blessing.

    Such act of giving that grants blessing reminds us too of St. Justin, a martyr and philosopher. It was by giving witness to faith that he too gave himself even if it would cost him his life. He never wavered even when there was a threat to his life. That act of St. Justin was founded on his confidence and faith in the Risen Jesus.

    This has been expressed by Jesus in the Gospel. Jesus showed his gratitude to the Father because of the love that sustained him in his ministry. Jesus’ prayer for his followers was his generous act, asking the Father to protect and bless them. This generous action of Jesus culminated in giving up his life on the cross for our sake while the resurrection is the Father’s generous action for our sake because the Father is grateful for the Son.

    This is God’s invitation for us today.

    We are, first, called to be truly grateful with what we have, to be confident with what we are enjoying which includes material things, people and relationships, talents, skills and our very “person” too.

    Second, let us allow our heart to grow in gratitude and confidence in God’s generosity that will hopefully mold us to become “blessed givers.” Remember, what we can give is not limited to material things, but even our talents, capacities, knowledge and our presence to people who are truly in need.

    Indeed, blessed are the generous givers because they portray God’s character and make God’s presence ever more present. Kabay pa.