Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: LiturgIcal Year B

  • To be FOLLOWERS of Christ

    To be FOLLOWERS of Christ

    September 12, 2021 – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091221.cfm)

    A boy once asked his mother: “Mom, I am a Christian, right?” “Yes”, the mom replied “by baptism, you are a Christian.” The boy continued, “Then, who is a Christian?” The mom responded, “A follower of Jesus Christ”. The boy again asked, “Is He the one hanged and crucified on a cross?” The mom replied, “Yes, Jesus Christ suffered and gave up his life for us all so that we might have a better life with God.” After few minutes of silence, the boy said: “Since I am a Christian – a follower of Jesus Christ who sacrificed his life for us, would it mean that someday I will be like Jesus sacrificing oneself for the sake of others?”

    In our gospel today, after asking his disciples about what people say about him, Jesus asked his disciples themselves who they believe Jesus is. Here Jesus is not asking for a mere public or personal opinion, but moreso for a personal faith – of who they believe Jesus is in their own life. After Peter’s testimony that He is the Christ, the expected Messiah and savior, though without confirming and denying, Jesus made it a point to them that He is a Suffering, Rejected and Murdered Christ. To fulfill his mission of salvation for all through our Father’s love, Jesus then must undergo suffering, rejection and dying on the cross. Through and by means of his sacrifice of suffering and giving up one’s life for the sake of all, Jesus is and becomes the Christ – the Messiah and Savior. And consequently, he warns all those who follow Him of the suffering ahead, saying: “whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” Thus, giving and showing us a way – a path to life and salvation, by losing one’s life for the sake of Christ and the gospel. In other words, our life and salvation through a life not for oneself but FOR Christ.

    Perhaps we may ask ourselves now as Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ: Who is the Jesus Christ we believe in our life now? Be conscious that nowadays Jesus Christ has been presented or packaged to us in other many distorted ways. Several so-called Christians today in a corrupted way may have preached and believed in Jesus Christ as “Jesus without the cross” and/or “Cross without Jesus”. 

    “Jesus without the Cross” belief is the Jesus of the prosperity gospel church, who preached not of a suffering and wounded Christ, but that of a healthy, smiling, laughing, good-looking Jesus who enjoys and offers us the good things and luxuries in life now, if and when we only follow and believe in Him. While “Cross without Jesus” belief is the Jesus of spiritual charismatic gospel church who preached a Jesus who suffered on the cross, but is now not here but in otherworld or heaven, who offers His followers salvation and life… later and in heaven. We must be aware of these two distorted ways of Jesus being presented and preached to us today, for it undermines the struggle, suffering and sacrifice Jesus has undergone, and we must undergo in life for our salvation.   

    As true follower of Christ, we believe not in “Jesus without a cross” or “Cross without Jesus” but rather we believe in Jesus Christ WITH and ON a cross. The Jesus Christ we believe in then is the Jesus Christ whom He himself described in our gospel today, who suffered and was crucified on the cross, as well as the risen/resurrected but still wounded, cross-bearing Jesus Christ. Not only that we believe that Jesus is the Messiah, our Christ and Savior; but also we believe that the way to our life and salvation with God as shown to us by Jesus, is through the path or the way of the CROSS. By following the example of Christ in humble submission to the Father’s will and our acceptance of our own crosses in life – thus losing ourselves For Christ and for the sake of others, we come to benefit and share from God’s grace of life and salvation.

    The paradox of our Christian life is thus the way of the cross.

    As Christians, we don’t follow Jesus out of and for the conveniences of what life can offer now, or we follow Him, suffering for the coming reward in the afterlife in heaven. Following Jesus and to be For Christ in life require of us the self-denial, sacrifices and struggle of the cross we undergo with life in the here and now. Just like for a woman to fully enjoy motherhood and family life now, she has to undergo the sufferings and pains of childbearing and child-rearing, so to with our Christian life. For us to fully benefit from God’s offer of life and salvation in our life now, we must undergo the suffering and sacrifice of our daily crosses, for the sake of Jesus Christ and others.  In other words, God’s offer of life and salvation to us only happens whenever we begin to lose ourselves for Christ through our suffering, sacrifices and dying for others.

    Now back to the question of Jesus that requires our personal faith: “Who do you say I am?” “Who is the Jesus we believe in now?” Is He the “Jesus without a cross” who offers us life-conveniences now? Or Is He the “Cross without Jesus” who calls us to suffer now for the rewards in heaven and here-after? Or Is He the Risen but wounded, Suffering but resurrected Jesus Christ, who offers us God’s life and salvation now and always through and by means of the paradox of our daily crosses?

    Lord, by your cross and resurrection, you have redeemed the world. Especially during these pandemic times, bear our crosses with us towards our life & resurrection now and always. Amen.

  • Open to be Opened

    Open to be Opened

    September 5, 2021 – 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090521.cfm)

    In proclaiming us the Good News of God’s salvation, Jesus performed lots of healing miracles. Our gospel today is one of the greatest healing miracles ever told about Jesus. Here, Jesus cured a Gentile who have hearing and speech impediments.

    Somehow hearing those miracle stories sometime makes us wonder how does it feel to be healed by Jesus? In a sense, if that deaf & dumb Gentile is with us now, how he would tell us today his story? And what would be his message for us today? Does he have something to say to us today about him being healed by Jesus?

    Once, I came across an account of Jesus’ healing ministry, which is worth reflecting on. It is called: the healing of a deaf and mute man as may have been told…by himself. It goes like this….

    “My name is James. I was once completely deaf. I was deprived of so much that others have taken for granted, i.e. the gift of hearing. I could not hear the shouts of children at play, the singing of the birds, the sound of the wind in the trees… I could not hear words of comfort, encouragement, or advice. Most people find it tiresome to communicate with me. This made me usually feel terribly isolated. Worse, because also of my speech impediment, I could not express myself – the more I felt deprived and isolated. Usually insensitive people just laughed at my stammering.

    Also because I could not communicate and contribute anything to the community, I also felt useless and discriminated. People don’t like to communicate and touch me because I am disable and different. And when you are handicap and different, people are afraid of you. Worse, I sometimes believe that my disabilities were God’s punishment. I was full of self-pity. I longed for compassion. I was convinced that no one understood and felt sorry for me.

    That was until the day I learned about Jesus. Even though he was a Jew and I was a Gentile that did not stop me from seeking his help. And what an experience! The first thing he did was to take me aside from the crowd and gave me his undivided attention. This made me feel important. He did not speak to me as it would have been a waste of words. Instead he touched me. It was a tender, patient and loving touch. He made me feel what I could not hear. He put his fingers into my ears. Then spitting his finger with some of his ‘laway’, he touched my tongue with his finger. Next he looked up to the heaven to show me that what will happen is God’s saving help. Then he said to me, Ephphatha “Be opened” And suddenly my ears were opened and my speech became normal. I was cured.

    He then told me not broadcast what he had done for me. But I was unable to keep quiet. There was so much bottled up inside me that made me talked too much – non stop. I could not pass anyone in the street without saying “hello”. I couldn’t remain silent in the presence of someone in pain if I felt a word would help. I couldn’t bear to see an injustice done without denouncing it.

    But soon I realized that I talked to much, and was not listening, which is also hurting others. So I try to really listen to others, which meant that I had to stop talking. I listened to the sound of nature, to music, to laughter and crying. With this I discovered that everybody has certain disabilities that prevent them from making full use of their gift of speech – shyness, insensitivity, apathy…Impediments that prevent them from hearing well – prejudice, inattention, refusal to listen.

    Why am I telling you all this? It is to save you from the fate of those who have ears but cannot hear, and tongues but cannot speak. What I discovered from my experience is this: The greatest tragedy is not to be born deaf or dumb, but to have ears and yet fail to hear; and to have tongues and yet fail to speak. That is why Jesus words were: Be opened…. Open my ear to hear His words. Open my tongues to proclaim my faith.

    Hearing and speech are indeed great means of communication. But without heart that is able to feel compassion, we will never be able to use these gifts well. It is only with the heart that we can listen rightly, and it is only with the heart that we can speak rightly. Jesus, who touched my ears and my tongue, also touched my heart. It was when he opened my heart above all that made me new.  For me, that was the real miracle. He opened my heart so that I can love him and love one another. So, be opened in ears, in tongues and in above all, in heart.”

    From this testimony, we learn that whatever then is our disabilities & impediments in life now – especially during these pandemic times – & beyond, Jesus wills for our healing & well-being in life. But all these happen according to His own will, ways & purposes than ours, and usually happen not in public & hullabaloo, but privately & in silence as well. And above all, our healing & well-being are meant to make us more OPEN & receptive to God’s offer of better life & love with Him.

    Heal us, O Lord, from our self-centeredness that make us sick & isolated from your love & grace. Open our closed ears, mouths & hearts that we may fully be opened to enjoy our life with You and our Father now & always.

    Hinaut pa unta. Amen.

  • CONSCIENCE OVER REPUTATIONS

    CONSCIENCE OVER REPUTATIONS

    August 29, 2021 – 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082921.cfm)

    What is more important: Conscience OR Reputations?

    The famous comic actor Charlie Chaplin once said: “Worry more about your conscience than your reputation, because your conscience is what you are, your reputation is what others think of you. And what others think of you is their problem.”

    These words of wisdom are lesson Charlie Chaplin must have learned in life, and not out of joke or humor.  Somehow this is his way of telling and teaching us that whatever happens in life, we must take care of our own conscience rather than our reputation. Thus, we must give importance to what and who we are, rather than what others think and say about us.

    If you really come to think of us, in our world today we may say much is given value to our reputations than our conscience nowadays. Much has been promoted in life about building our reputation rather than forming our own consciences. Many, if not most of us, define ourselves by what others think and say about us, rather than what and who we really are; and we do tend to judge others by what others think and say about them than what and who they really are. People have been and can fall victims of thinking more about what will people say about them, rather than what they think is right and just for themselves. In other words, people do tend to be more pre-occupied with building and protecting their reputations, rather than forming and honoring their consciences. And rightly so, as Charlie Chaplin suggest, this mentality should not be the right thinking and approach in life. It should rather be conscience first, instead of reputation over conscience.

    Our gospel today is also all about reputation and conscience. As Jesus warms his disciples then about hypocrisy and hypocrites, Jesus teaches also us now that the tendency to over-emphasize reputations over our conscience is Hypocrisy. For Jesus, hypocrites are people who do things for the show – that is for what others will say and think of them. They are more concern in cleaning their hands and cups but not their hearts; more sensitive with what comes from the outside but not what come out from within. (Icing than the cake, make-up than the face, clothing than the body, packaging than the content, wrappings than the gift). Not honoring then your conscience and what and who you are, but being more concern with your reputation and what will people say and think of you is Hypocrisy. And Jesus is warning us never to fall into hypocrisy and not to be hypocrites.

    Here Jesus is also teaching us to detect hypocrisy and hypocrites in us and in others by our over-concern for reputation over and above our conscience. Whenever we give importance and become conscious more of what will people think and say about us, we fall into hypocrisy and becoming hypocrites. Whenever we find ourselves more concern about building and protecting our reputation, we fall into hypocrisy and becoming hypocrites ourselves. And whenever we find ourselves compromising our conscience for the sake of public approval and recognition, we fall into hypocrisy and becoming hypocrites ourselves.

    Although we might be easily fall into this mentality, we do have the capacity to detect and discern hypocrisy in us. At times we do come up to conclusions about ourselves and others like: Magpakatoo ka Brother, (Be True, my brother). Maganda nga pero pangit ang ugali (Pretty but bad personality). Mabuti ang kalagayan pero masama naman ang kalooban. (Well-off but bad person). Mayaman pero walang hiya at modo (Intelligent but disrespectful and shameless). We do have the instinct to read people who are hypocrites, and hypocrisy in us. So, beware of hypocrisy and of hypocrites in us and in others.

    To avoid hypocrisy in us, we must learn how to grow in righteousness. Righteousness is having right relations with God, others & oneself. It is all about forming, following, and honoring our conscience – what and who we really are. We should thus be more concern about cleaning our hearts and what is coming within us, and be true to who and what we really are. For what is conscience? As Thomas Merton says: “Conscience is the light by which we interpret God’s will for us in life.” Meaning, our conscience is the very working OS (operation system) for us to access, know, and communicate with God’s will for us – thus our access or signal to God. Our concern then should be strengthening and growing our consciences.

    Again as Charlie Chaplin would say: “Worry more about your conscience than your reputation, because your conscience is what you are, your reputation is what others think of you. And what others think of you is their problem.” In other words, Make your conscience as your primary concern in life… the rest is other’s problem.  Remember then that God loves us not by our reputations but by our conscience.

    Especially during these trying times of pandemic, Help us O Lord to pay much attention to God’s still and small voice speaking in our hearts, and thus we can righteously live life in a way that will keep our consciences free and clear before God, now and forever. Amen.

  • CHOOSING JESUS EVERYDAY

    CHOOSING JESUS EVERYDAY

    August 22, 2021 – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082221.cfm)

    When you want buy something, how do you choose that thing (cloths, accessories, or gadgets) that you want to buy? Some wise buyers would go through into a selection process before buying. They would consider the quality, its practicality, the price, the evaluation of other buyers, and the specifications of the item. However, there are also some of us who actually don’t mind all these steps but would only consider if it is trending or popular, used and promoted by famous personalities or just used by others, neighbors and friends. Even though they may not be so practical for us or useful but because it’s the trend, we go into that.

    This is not just limited to buying things. During elections, people tend to vote people in office because of popularity not really because of the competency of the candidate. This is evident on how every candidate will make their name and faces be recognized by the people. Posters and billboards are displayed in every corner, a catchy jingle is composed, radio and TV commercials are prepared in order to introduce into the minds of the voters that they are popular and thus, shall be remembered during the election day. Though not all, but people are elected in office primarily because they are famous and popular.

    This is not far from what we believe and sometimes spread. I am talking with the fake news that surround us. People tend to believe, spread and adhere to fake news because they have become popular and because many have come to believe in them. We should be very careful then because a popular opinion or belief does not always hold the truth. Thus, be very careful when you entertain people who tend to talk a lot about other people. It is actually very easy to identify people who bring fake news and “chismis,” they are usually loud and tend to dominate the conversation. People who bring fake news and chismis do not have to be invited also. They voluntarily talk and spread it.

    And when a story is being told and retold then, it becomes popular and many will believe that it is true. And we who hear a story would not even care to investigate if the story is true. Indeed, these situations tell us of our tendency to favor and choose things, people, beliefs and principles according to their popularity. The number of people who tend to favor such thing is very influential for us. This kind of tendency in us is not far from those we have heard in the scriptures.

    In the first reading, Joshua asked the people if they would choose and commit themselves to Yahweh. At that time, there were many gods that confused people and divide them. There was the temptation to choose those foreign gods than choosing the true God, Yahweh. Joshua confronted the people and to choose right there, at that moment. The people, with their clear conscience, chose God to be served and to be loved.

    However, this is not the case that happened in the Gospel. Jesus who became popular to many people because of his miracles by healing the sick and multiplying the bread was becoming unpopular.

    Jesus taught the people that He is the Bread of Life that came down from heaven. Through him, by eating his body and drinking his blood, eternal life will be attained. Yet, the people around him found this teaching difficult to accept and offensive. The teaching of Jesus implied that they were to follow Jesus in his ways and let go of their old ways. This teaching was understood to be taken with commitment to Jesus. Jesus’ teaching asked them to let go of their old beliefs and renew themselves in God. Yet, they could not let go and accept Jesus fully in their life. They could not believe that God became man and He is with us. They could not believe that God desires mercy and forgiveness of all. Thus, they left Jesus and “returned to their former way of life” because his teachings were unpopular for them.

    Jesus confronted his disciples, “do you also want to leave?” In a similar way, Jesus also asks each of us, “Will you also leave? Will you choose me or the false gods? Will you also leave me because of your sins and guilt, because of your comforts and wants?”

    There are many false gods around us. These false gods may tempt us to worship them rather than God, to believe in them rather than in the Word of God, to hold on them rather than trusting in Jesus. These false gods could be our desire to be famous, to gain power and control, to manipulate and use others. They could also be in the form of persons whom we idolize where we refuse any criticism on them and following them blindly. These could also be our own unhealthy behaviors or addictions that we continually keep. These could be our pretensions and insecurities that we continue to hone. These could also be our comforts and possessions that we are so attached. These could be our false belief and principles in life that only advances our personal agenda.

    We are challenged and called today to choose and commit ourselves in serving and loving the Lord. Choosing Jesus and committing our work, studies, dreams, hopes and our whole life to Jesus is surely not the popular thing to do today. Yes, it may not be the popular to be always true and to be always loving, but to be true to ourselves, true to others and true to God will make us free. Indeed, choosing Jesus and following faithfully his teachings is truly difficult as the people complained. Thus, this Eucharist is our way now to renew once again our commitment. This is our opportunity to choose Jesus!

    As we choose Jesus everyday, this means that we choose life not death, choose hope not despair, chose mercy and love not anger and hatred, choose humility not aggression and to choose warmth and concern not indifference. Hinaut pa.

  • To whom shall we Go?

    To whom shall we Go?

    August 22, 2021 – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082221.cfm)

    During the revolution in Nicaragua, it is said that a group of Catholics seeks refuge inside a big cathedral. While praying inside the cathedral as the war between rebels and army progressed, a gun-toting rebel came inside and barked at them, “Those who believed in Jesus Christ, stay and stand up for your faith. Those who don’t believe in Jesus Christ, you may now go free.” Hearing this, more than two-third of the refugees immediate went out and left the church, while the rest stayed behind trembling. The rebel then, closed the cathedral’s door and said, “Brothers and sisters, please continue to pray. We all need your prayers. But I rather pray with true believers than with hypocrites.”

    In his book Conversations with God, Neale Donald Walsch said: “Your decision today is a statement of who you are & a testament of who you choose to be.” True indeed, whatever decisions we make in life reflect our very own identity as well as life-choices. Whatever circumstances we are in – whether free or limited, we do have a choice in life. What makes it difficult for us nowadays is not the lack, but rather because of the many choices & options we have. And even not to choose may also been a good choice. However, not making a choice in life now & in our life-hereafter makes our life miserable & meaningless. Thus, whatever your choice & what you decide mirrors your own identity & attitude towards life.

    In today’s reading, we hear Joshua, the successor of Moses challenging the Israelites once and for all, to make a choice. Although the Israelites were the chosen people and had experienced the mighty works of Yahweh, still some of them had worshipped idols and other gods. They were very influenced by the religious practices of their ancestors and of the natives who worshipped idols. Before the people, Joshua proclaimed his faith in Yahweh that he and his house decide that they would serve only the Lord. Seeing this, the people also accepted Yahweh as their Lord and God.

    In the gospel, we also hear Jesus challenging his disciples to make a choice. Many followed Jesus, some out of curiosity, some for healing and for other favors, and some out of conviction that he was the Messiah. But when Jesus began to teach them about participating in his very life and mission, by accepting his word and partaking in his body and blood as food and drink, many could not accept it. Many disciples withdrew and no longer followed him. They deserted him and stopped following him. That is the time Jesus asked his twelve apostles, “Will you also go away?” He asked them whether they too would leave him. He did not want to force anyone to accept him.

    He has shown the way. Now they had to make a decision, a choice. And Peter proclaimed his and their choice: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life. We now believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

    Joshua, Peter & the apostles made their choice. Dear friends in Christ: “what about us?” “How about you?”

    In today’s readings, we are also challenged to make a decision. We are asked to make a choice, whether do you believe in Jesus, as the words of eternal life or not. “Are you for Jesus or against Jesus?” We know that although most of Filipinos are Catholics, some have left the Church. Some become cold or lukewarm with their faith in God and His Church. We know some of our relatives or friends have stopped going to mass, leave the church and/or joined this group or that sect.

    If Jesus now asks you: “How about you? Do you want to go away too?” What will your answer be? Will it be a definite, convincing “Yes or No”.  Or will it be a hesitant “Yes or No”?

    During Eucharist, as we recite the Apostle’s creed, we say: “I believe. I believe in God the Father Almighty. I believe in Jesus Christ, the only son of our Lord.” But do we really believe in God? Especially during these trying pandemic times, do we really believe and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior? Or in other words, do we say what we mean & mean what we say?

    Our faith then is not a matter of saying words or formula out of convention, convenience, or obligation, but a matter of professing, proclaiming our own free and voluntary decision or choice to follow Christ.

    Remember: Your decision today is a statement of who you are and a testament of who you choose to be.

    Like the Apostle, Lord, we do say: “Asa pa man diay: to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” May we never be separated from you. Amen.

    Please stand, let us now proclaim our choice, our decision…