Category: Liturgical Year A

February 9, 2020 – 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Click here for the readings (http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/020920.cfm)

Homily

Let me tell you two stories.

First, ten years ago I met, Nanay Elisabeth, a leprosy infected-old lady. She was confined in a hospital in Cebu that especially takes care of leprosy patients. Due to her illness, she never got married. Life was so difficult because she was poor. Once, she shared with me an experience. In her younger years, she was into scavenging garbage in Cebu City. One morning, as she approached a garbage bin to collect recyclable materials she found something. She found “something” or much better to say “someone” inside the garbage bin that others might have thought, was a trash. Nay Elisabeth found a newly born baby girl in that garbage bin. She named her Nancy. And Nancy, perhaps, a reason why she was thrown away was because Baby Nancy had a cerebral palsy. But what was more heartwarming there, was Nanay Elisabeth’s compassion and unconditional love for the baby.

As it seemed that nobody wanted that baby and no one would dare to love and care for that baby, but for Nanay Elisabeth, all her love and affection were for Nancy. She brought Nancy home and did all her best to let Nancy feel that she was loved and treasured.

Second, John was an extra-ordinary youth from Davao del Sur. In the sense that he was deprived of many things that most of us here are enjoying. He is the eldest of five children of a broken family. They were like orphans as they were left alone by their parents. John wanted to continue his studies so that soon he can support his younger siblings. A family friend offered to support his studies as he worked at the same time for that family. He had to take care every day the pigpen as he was asked to do it. Yet, the treatment of that family was not that favorable. When he would commit mistakes he was insulted in front of others. John surely felt insecure from many things, of material things and especially from the comfort and support of his own parents. But, there was something that was surprising in him.

Despite all these difficulties, John has a big and generous heart not just for his own siblings but also for street children. When he has money in his pocket, he buys bread. He brings the bread with him and calls out some street children at San Pedro. There, he sits with them and shares his bread with them, and shares stories with the street children.

Amazing aren’t they? But please, let us not stop at the feeling of amazement only. Each of us, is called by Jesus to be “salt of the earth and light of the world.” That identity and responsibility of being salt – in giving flavor to the lives of others, and of being light – in giving brightness to those who are in darkness are in each of us – because we are Christians! 

In the Book of Prophet Isaiah, the Lord tells us concretely, “share your bread to the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them… remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech.” Can you feel now the weight of being a Christian? The consequence of believing in that man who died on the cross? 

St Paul reminds us of the light given to us. Jesus’ life is the light that you and I have received and are sharing. 

There is a need for us to be conscious of that identity and responsibility that we share as a Catholic community. The readings and the Gospel are there to make us aware of our calling. Nanay Elisabeth and John, though they may not be aware of it, have become salt of the earth and light of the world.

Each of us too, we might have our own dullness in our own relationships and darkness in our own lives, but WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. We are capable of becoming salt and light for others. We don’t need to become a Superman or Spiderman, or Cardo Dalisay to do something good and in making difference and adding flavor to the lives others. We don’t have to wear masks and wear strange costumes. But, I just have to be me, and you to be you – because we are Christians and Jesus, the ultimate salt and light of the world, is with us. 

Like Nanay Elisabeth and John, we can truly become salt of the earth and light of the world in our own simple ways despite our own limitations and insecurities and no matter how insignificant we might be in our society. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. This will start when we become aware of the needs of others, when we begin to see the face of our neighbors, of the one seated at your side, in front of you and at your back. 

Now, think of people around us who live in darkness and depression. Think of illiterate people, children who never get a chance to go to school – their illiteracy is darkness to them; think of those who are addicted to substances, drugs and alcohol – their life seemed to be in total darkness; think of the poorest of the poor, the old and the dying, the sick and the crippled – sometimes they have to beg for them to survive; think of a friend who is lonely and isolated; think of a neighbor who is losing her or his faith because of a traumatic experience; or those whose marriage is problematic and the family is about to break; think of those who are pushed to the peripheries because of discrimination juts because they are different or a possible threat to many – imagine their loneliness and helplessness of being pushed aside and left alone. They are in need and are looking for some support and consolation, a listening ear and a warm, welcoming hug. 

Think of those; and as our assignment – DO SOMETHING GOOD, SOMETHING CHARITABLE THIS WEEK. So that as we reach out to others in compassion and love, we become the flavor and light of Christ to others. Hinaut pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR

February 9, 2020 – 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Click here for the readings (http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/020920.cfm)

Homily

Weeks after ordination, four newly-ordained priests were summoned by the bishop for a meeting in his house. As they have settled down in his office, the bishop addressed them: “Young fathers, I have here some piece of stone, cotton, clay and sugar. I want you to choose one of these things and place them on a glass of water before you.” And so they did as asked by the bishop. Then the bishop: “Before I will announce to you your new assignment, I want you to learn something from the little exercise we did. Consider the glass of water as your new assignment and consider the kind of priest will you be in your new assigned parish community… You can be a stone who does nothing except to be a new added member in the community. You don’t influence the community and the community does not influence you… You can be a cotton who easily adjust in the community but eventually reduced and diminished the members because you centralized everything to you. Everything in parish life is now about you, and not them… You can also be a clay who slowly adjust to the community, but eventually create disorder, problems, tensions and a lot of stress in the community, thus becoming a negative influence to them. But… you can also be a sugar who slowly adjust and selflessly dissolve at the background into the community – sharing positive influence and energy to make the community sweet, and change it for the better. 

In life, we do encounter different kinds of leaders in our community. Like the bishop, we may have categorized our leaders as the Stony heartless leaders who does not care at all, or as the Selfish cotton “Me first” leaders who depletes our energy, or as the Evil clay tormentor leaders who sow chaos in life, or as the Selfless sugar Influencing leaders who encourage and inspire us in life. We prefer and expect our leaders to be selfless sugar influencer leaders who have been a blessing to us for they motivate and empower us to be responsible members and change our lives for the better. We also dislike and avoid the stony-heartless, the selfish cotton “me-first” and the evil claytormentor leaders for they make our community life heavy and miserable.

We hear Jesus in our gospel today saying: “You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.” From these words, surely Jesus like us, would also want and expect our leaders to be selfless influencers, who leads us by their words and example. However His words are not only addressed to our leaders but also to ourselves, His followers. When Jesus declares to us today that “You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world”, He proclaims to us that with Him, we are not only already blessed but we are also God’s blessings to others. This means that as Christians, we are and we should be a blessing and a selfless influencing leader to others – to be light of the world, salt of the earth, and sugar within the community. Inasmuch as we have been blessed by the inspiration and witness of our selfless influencing leaders, we should also be selfless influencing leaders to others within our community. As we have been blessed by God and others, You and I, We as His followers are also and should be then God’s gift and blessings to others within our Christian community.

Perhaps consider then this week, the Christians people who have been light and salt in your life, who greatly and selflessly influence your growth and formation as a better person. Consider how they have been a blessing to you. Thank God for these Christian leaders for through them you are blessed. 

Consider also the people for whom you are trying to be light and salt to – people under your care, direction and leadership. Consider as follower of Christ how you have been and trying to be a blessing to them. Pray to God for guidance and courage to be selfless influencing mentors to these people. 

As a famous theologian, Hans Urs von Balthazar, once said: “What you are is God’s gift to you. What you become is your gift to God”. So, Be God’s blessing to others, as much as you have been blessed by God and others. Amidst a life that can be dark, broken and tasteless, Be a responsible Christian leader , a witness to be today’s salt of the earth & light of the world. So may it be. Siya Nawa. Kabay pa. Hinaut pa unta. Amen.

Shared by Fr. Mar Masangcay, CSsR – a Filipino Redemptorist Missionary in South Korea

January 26, 2020 – 3^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: National Bible Sunday

Click here for the readings http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/012620.cfm

Homily

I am sure that each of us here has our own experience of God, an experience that made us confident and changed us to be more grateful to God and to respond with grateful heart to the Lord.

In this mass, a member of the Redemptorist Youth Ministry shall give a witness of God’s generosity in his life. Let us welcome Paul Mark Divino.

Paul’s Sharing

I’ve been with the ministry for more than a decade now, and looking back 10 years ago, I was chosen to be one of the participants for the 1^st Redemptorist Youth Encounter held in Cebu City. And I had my first air flight (sounds exciting right?). As I arrived in Cebu, my heart was filled with excitement and joy, and eager to experience the youth encounter and meet other young people from different Redemptorist Parishes in Visayas and Mindanao. But During the 2^nd day of the encounter I felt that something was really missing in me. I realized that since I arrived in Cebu, I did not receive any text message nor phone call from my parents, unlike my other companions. Most of them, as soon as they arrived in Cebu they received phone calls from their parents. From this, I felt jealous. So I ask GOD, why? Have my parents forgotten me already? 

I was so hurt that I felt so down. Yet, on that same day, I found a peaceful place for me to reflect better. As I sat in an open area that overviewed the city of Cebu, all of a sudden my phone rang, “may nag text.” Yes! It was my father asking “Nak, kumusta man ka dira sa Cebu?  And tears were falling from my eyes. I felt ashamed of myself for even questioning God. That moment, I realized that GOD is truly there, always listening and assuring me that I am never alone.

I felt the presence of Jesus. That simple experience reminded me a great lesson in life that God is always present even when we start to doubt and question him. God reveals his presence in us in most surprising and perfect time, Ika’ nga”

Speaking of Gods Perfect time, there was this time too that I was so inspired and amazed at the sharing of my co-youth who attended the World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia in 2008. Through those personal sharing of experiences, I became more inspired to serve in the Youth Ministry, to meet new people and to dream that one day I would also be part of the World Youth Day Gathering, “beke nemen”. 

That has been one of my inspirations and motivations that time. Yet as time went by, I already forgot about that dream. I continued to enjoy my service in the ministry. Instead of being sent for the World Youth Day, I was sent for the National Youth Day 2011 in Manila, and to the Youth Mission in Tacloban. 

However, last October 2018, “may tumawag, hindi na text.” I received a phone call from our Youth Provincial director that time, Fr. Julius Martin informing me that I was chosen to be one of the delegates, (guest what?) of the World Youth Day in Panama. This sounded exciting again but I was reluctant. Why me? Again I questioned GOD. I went to a series of interviews and at the end? Boom!!  I got the crown . Again, that was another 1^st experience taking a plane this time outside the country. Big thanks to RYM.  

My WYD experience was again another God’s perfect timing. Before this grace was given to me, I was molded by the ministry to be ready for this graceful gathering and to experience and encounter such a big crowd of young people from different countries with different cultures and languages but one in faith. 

These experiences I shared to you are just few things that I encountered while being in the ministry. These experiences made me realize that God is indeed with me, that God is the Light who shines upon me and has blessed me with so many things.

Because of these experiences I have become ever grateful to God. I continue and renew my service in the ministry as my grateful response to the Lord. It motivates me to be a better and a good youth leader and to inspire others. I am sharing my experiences with you not to brag myself, but to tell you how good God is to me despite everything, and how God has let me experience that I am truly loved and blessed in so many ways. 

What we have just heard from Paul is a personal experience of God’s presence. That God-experience inspired Paul to also respond with a grateful heart.

This kind of experience reminds me of the wonderful image in the first reading from the Book of Isaiah. The people who walked in darkness because of sin, of misery, of depression, or sickness and of oppression have seen a great light. What Isaiah proclaimed to us was God’s presence being experienced by the people. 

As the Lord has come to visit his people, God’s presence also brought the grace of freedom and peace, of reconciliation and joy. This is beautifully sang to us in the Psalm, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.”

This reflects in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus has appeared publicly and began to preach, calling the people to “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.”

Those who have met him and heard him, have indeed seen and experienced the light of the Lord. The first disciples who were Peter, Andrew, James and John were actually disciples of John the Baptist. This tells us that these men were also in search of God and hungered to experience God’s presence in their life. They have been in search of God.

With that disposition, they made themselves open to Jesus. They allowed Jesus to come to them. In fact, as they have encountered Jesus, they too experienced God’s generosity in them. They realized how good God is to them despite everything. They too realized that it was only Jesus who satisfied their hunger and thirst. With that experience, they have become grateful to the Lord.

Moreover, that gratefulness in them molded their hearts to also respond in gratitude to the call of Jesus. They left their old self because they have found that God offered something new to them and it is through service by bringing more people closer to Jesus.

Thus, as we also celebrate the National Bible Sunday, the Bible tells us of this invitation – and that is, that we recognize our God-experiences, those moments of light where God has expressed his generosity and goodness in us. By being able recognize them, we also allow our heart to be ever more grateful to the Lord. 

And hopefully, by being grateful to God, then, we can also respond to the Lord, to his invitation to us, not just because we are indebted to God or out of duty as Christians, but we respond out of our gratitude to Him just like the disciples. We respond to Jesus’ call to follow him in our own context and capacities and in our own status and situations in life, as young persons, as parents, as workers, as professionals or as respected senior citizens. Hinaut pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR

January 26, 2020 – Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Click here for the readings http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/012620.cfm

Homily

If and when given another chance in life, would you do it again or would you do it anew? Would you live life as before or much better than before?  Surely, if and when given another chance in life, we would hope for life anew than life again, we would aspire to live life much better than before rather than as it was before. We know however that for this hope and aspiration to fulfill, we must change our old ways and try to live life differently as before. 

The first call of Jesus is the call to repentance. Jesus began his public mission with an invitation: “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” His preaching begins by calling on all people to repent and embrace the Good News of God’s kingdom. It is easy for us to understand that this call to repentance is directed toward sinners. Even Jesus himself had difficulties to communicate this call to good people than with sinners. Why? Because the hardest people of all to change their ways are the good people. They simply don’t see any need of conversion. They only think that as sick people need healing; only sinners need repentance. But actually the call to repentance is a call for everyone, an invitation for all, good or bad you may be.

For what does repentance mean?

To repent means to feel dissatisfied with oneself and longing for something better with one you have right now. There must be a sense of something is wrong, or at least something is lacking or missing in one’s life – A feeling of discontent with what is happening with one’s life.  To repent is not only to be sorry for what we have done but also what we have failed to do for our lives. Usually repentance begins in the realization that we are not what we could or should be; or we are not what we choose to be and supposed to be. Repentance then is borne out our longing for a much better life than as it is now. 

To repent would also demand openness, honesty, and above all courage with oneself – Courage to put on end to self-deception, and courage to confront painful self-reality. Surely, it takes a lot of courage for a person to line up for confession, admitting one’s guilt, asking forgiveness, and resolving to change. And sometimes, it is easy to be sorry for one’s sins than to admit mistake, saying: “I sorry, but…”. It is more difficulty to admit one’s mistake or shortcoming, “ I am wrong..” than to ask forgiveness, “I am sorry”. Repentance then is to take responsibility for your own being wrong, unwell and lacking. 

To repent is to make a decision to conversion that is to change oneself. And to make such decision is not an easy task, for it entails a lot of responsibilities. Human as we are, we do tend to pass the bucket to others. As much as possible, we tend to escape from making a stance or commitment. We rather blame others for the faults, which we should have been ours to make. However, whatever your decision today, whether to choose life or death, to help or exploit oneself or others, to do good or evil deeds, to accept responsibility or blame others, mirrors your very own identity, your conviction and commitment as human persons. As the saying goes, “Kon gusto mo ng pagbabago sa buhay, umpisahan mo sa sarili mo. If you long for change and a better life, begin with oneself. Conversion, Renewal or Redemption starts with oneself. 

In as much as it is a heavy task to take or a rough road to travel, repentance is a very positive experience. True, to repent is to admit that all is not well with oneself and to change oneself. But to repent is also to discover something new and wonderful about oneself. It means opening up and acquiring new vision, seeing wider perspective, opening up others options and possibilities, challenging one’s values, not being tied up with biases and prejudices and seeing things anew. In other words, it opens up the way to a new life – to the kingdom of heaven at hand. Repentance could be an exciting and joyful adventure to follow Jesus.

This is what repentance did to the apostles when they responded to Jesus’ call for repentance. Inasmuch as it staggered them from their old convictions, confronted themselves, left their nets and followed him, it offered them also a new heaven and a new earth, the Kingdom of God – a new hope in life. 

Remember: Faith requires repentance, because to repent is to change our ways, our lifestyle and be converted towards the Lord’s way. To change is to grow. To grow is to live life to its fullness. And to live life is to believe in the Lord’s offer of eternal life. 

By the way, in life we don’t live once. We die once in life. We live life everyday. So we are given everyday always a chance to live life anew and not just again, better than just same as before.

As the Lord lives with us and we live with Him, may His offer of God’s kingdom dwelling in us be responded by our genuine conversion and repentance as well as by our discipleship. Amen.

By Fr. Mar Masangcay, CSsR – a Filipino Redemptorist Missionary in South Korea.