Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: LiturgIcal Year B

  • Yes, GO na. We are Ready. 가자

    Yes, GO na. We are Ready. 가자

    December 20, 2020 – Fourth Sunday of Advent

    Click for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122020.cfm)

    Homily

    Whenever we reflect on our childhood memories, our dear mother is always there present. Be she young, or old, dark or fair, how else would we be here now, if our mother did not make our well-being her life and vocation? The relationship we share with our mother is special and sacred, and is based on a bond of mutual love. It was our mother, who is the first person who loved us, took care of us, committed herself for us, assured us that she will always be there whatever happens, and would willing die for us so that we may be borne & live. It is our Mother, who first said, “Yes” for you. She might be the mother of all “No”s TO you but, she is “the Mother of all “Yes”es FOR you, in favor of you, who first opted and chosen YOU. Through our mother we also heard first God’s Promise, “I will be there FOR you always”.

    No wonder then that Mary is at the center of today’s gospel, which gives us a simple but moving account of the greatest message ever delivered to us – “the Lord is with us”. In it we are told simply and plainly that there was a young maiden, who knelt down at the angel Gabriel’s mysterious message and, in freedom of her heart, gave the total gift of herself to God, saying: “Yes, let it Be done unto me according to thy Word.”

    The Annunciation was the moment when God first revealed a mystery that he kept secret for endless ages. It is true that his love for us is so great that he wants to become one of us. And in doing so, Mary was needed by God. Mary was asked to co-operate with God, and be the mother of Christ. And the moment she said, “Yes” to the angel, salvation dawned on us all. However, Mary did not say “Yes” to God on only one occasion. She had to confirm that “Yes” many times during her life. The moment she said, “yes” to God’s invitation life was never the same again for her. She became a refugee in Egypt and some thirty years later, a witness her son died the death of a common criminal. And through all these events in her life, she did not abandon her son, stood by Him, always present and supporting Him whatever it takes.

    Christmas is almost upon us and, on this fourth Sunday of Advent, our thoughts turn to our mothers who said “yes” for us so that we may live, and to our mother Mary who listened and responded in cooperation with God’s will.  Mary’s life shows us that to be a Christian is to be a person who keeps our ears open to what God is calling us to do today, so that we are ready to answer Yes to His call and to cooperate with His will. 

    Perhaps we ask ourselves:

    To what extent are we available to God? Do we see what he wants us to do in and through us? If God asks you for favor now, how would you respond?

    Today we are shown the marvelous example of Mary. Even if she did not see clearly all it implied, she accepted her mission to become the mother of the Savior. Mary’s yes offers us salvation. Our own mother’s yes brings us life. May our Yes, our own response and cooperation with God brings life and salvation to others. Like Mary, May our response be: “Yes, Lord, I’m ready. Go na”.

    We pray then that like Mary, we may have her listening and responding heart to God’s call so that we can be as ready and as willing to cooperate in bringing Christ into others. Amen.

  • We are all part of God’s Wonderful Plan

    We are all part of God’s Wonderful Plan

    December 20, 2020 – Fourth Sunday of Advent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122020.cfm)

    Homily

    We are very close now of that wonderful historical event in our Christian faith. This week is the last stretch of our joyful and hopeful waiting leading us towards that humble yet unique and crucial event in our history. Definitely, it is very important that we don’t lose sight of the great meaning of the birth of Jesus by making ourselves rooted in this Season of Advent.

    We could have been stunned with a lot of concerns these days, or the pandemic could have still gripped us into fear and anxiety, or the highly commercialized Christmas celebration could intoxicate us, however, let us bring ourselves, our hearts and our minds into focus.

    At the beginning of this Season of Advent, we were called to “stay awake, to be alert and to be vigilant.” We are constantly reminded of God’s surprise visits and of God’s promise to be with us. Today, on this Fourth Sunday of Advent where we also lighted the fourth candle, called as the Candle of Angels or the Candle of Love, we are being trailed into the fulfillment of God’s promise. Thus, I invite you now that we look again the readings this Sunday and discern together how God brings us into a greater awareness that each of us today take part in God’s wonderful plan.

    The Second Book of Samuel tells us how God renews the covenant with David. David who felt guilty for being in the palace while the Ark of the Covenant was in a tent, was reminded of God’s favor. God promised David that his house shall be blessed. It is God who will build a house for the people. In this house, God will be our Father.

    What the Prophet proclaims to us is the very hope and joyful expectation of the fulfillment of God’s promise. This covenant rests now in that relationship with God as a father. This is the first invitation today, that we take comfort in God’s promise because God is our Father.

    This promise and close relationship with God is what our Psalm sings to us today. The people at that time endured a great amount of suffering. In their anguish and fear, they recalled the covenant with God and recognized the “everlasting kindness of God.” God is faithful indeed, and God is our father. This was what they felt in the midst of their suffering.

    Somehow, this was a longing in their heart that they continued to hold on for this gave them hope and joy in life despite the gloomy and dark situation. Therefore, the Psalm sings, “Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.” This is the second invitation for us today where we are called to have a greater awareness, so that we are able to recognize the goodness of God.

    Such goodness of the Lord had been fulfilled. God is certainly our Father. The Lord is faithful to our covenant. The readings all point us to what the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary. The person of Mary was not random. God planned it all along. Mary was betrothed to Joseph who was from the lineage of King David. This lineage brings us into the covenant made by God with David. Mary as well was a cousin of Elizabeth who was from the priestly lineage of Aaron. This tells us that the Messiah is indeed a royal and a priest.

    More to this, God’s kindness is truly from everlasting and God’s plan works in our human story. And in our human story God brings us what love can do. What the Angel Gabriel announced was in fact LOVE. Mary having favored by God, was filled with God’s grace. In that fullness, Mary’s love was overflowing. This is what happened when the Holy Spirit is welcomed and received.

    Her response to God despite her confusion and fear, allowed her to be more conscious that she was loved and was called to love. That awareness of God’s presence moved Mary to participate fully in God’s plan. Mary was not passive. She was not indifferent to God’s invitation. Mary took part by making the promise of God fulfilled through her by loving concretely.

    The words of Mary to the Angel Gabriel, “Let it be done to me according to your word,” was a statement of faith and also a statement of loving. As God fulfills the promise, God also asks us to participate. This is the third invitation for us today, to allow ourselves to participate in God’s wonderful plan.

    Let our words, let our actions and let our very person become the embodiment of God’s presence today. The Season of Advent, after all, invites us that we become love and become loving in order to receive that greatest gift of love. Hinaut pa.

  • The Gift of promise being fulfilled: A call to fulfill our commitment

    The Gift of promise being fulfilled: A call to fulfill our commitment

    December 18, 2020 – Friday, Third day of the Misa de Aguinaldo

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121820.cfm)

    Homily

    Each of us might be waiting for something good to happen. Yet, we could have grown impatient because of waiting. But then, extend more our patience, God is preparing and it is coming. It really is. Just believe. But, why should we believe? Why risk in believing, in having faith in God? Well, because promises are made to be fulfilled.

    Do you believe in this? Contrary to popular saying that “promises are made to be broken,” which applies to those who are bitter in their life, promises are indeed made to be fulfilled. So, please don’t be bitter, be better rather.

    Promises are, certainly, made to be fulfilled. This what makes a promise, a promise. Using the philosophical language, “the very essence of a promise, is its fulfillment.” That is why, the very essence of the WORD is when it becomes FLESH. The very essence of what we speak and talk about, is when it becomes our action.

    The very person of Jesus, our Lord, is the fulfillment of God’s promise. This promise of God started from the very beginning found in the Book of Genesis. When man and woman was driven out from paradise, God promised to be with them and to stay always with them. As God chose the people to be his own, God also promised to send a Savior, a Redeemer, a Messiah who will be with God’s people. This is what has been proclaimed in the first reading today. The Book of Jeremiah tells us that God proclaims his promise to save his people and give them security.

    In fact, this points us to this “PROMISE OF GOD” that springs from the covenant made by God with humanity.  The prophets told the people of this promise, the laws and decrees of God point also to this promise. The historical events and all those people in the Bible have prepared for the promise to be fulfilled.

    So, what is this promise? Much better to ask, Who is this promise? He is the Emmanuel, the God who is with us. He is born from a virgin, the word that became flesh, he is JESUS, (whose names means “YAHWEH SAVES”.) JESUS, our Lord, is the very promise of the Father to us.

    However, the fulfillment of the promise was tainted by a scandal of unfaithfulness and of a promise seemed to be broken. The arrival of Jesus seemed to be scandalous. This was the steaming aura at that time in the little town of Nazareth. In the ears of the neighbors of Joseph, what happened to Mary was scandalous. Mary and Joseph were already engaged but within that period of engagement Mary got (preggy) pregnant. The people in their village knew that Joseph was not the father. Joseph himself was confident that Mary’s child in her womb was not his. Joseph knew that the Jewish law would find Mary guilty of adultery.  This was an act punishable by shame and death.

    As it happens in small villages, Mary must have been a subject of gossips and fake news. Mary was judged without further investigation. The eyes and fingers of the people around her must have pointed and branded her to be a shame. In their eyes, the promise of the engagement was broken.

    Joseph must have been in pain as well. He must have been confused and must have been very hurt. He must have felt betrayed. However, Joseph’s response to this was not out of anger or bitterness. In the heart of Joseph, he wanted to save Mary by divorcing her quietly. Joseph must have thought that Mary was in another relationship. To divorce her quietly will allow Mary to be engaged with the man who fathered the baby in her womb.

    This difficult situation in Joseph, and the belief that he was betrayed, became the way for God to reveal the divine plan to this gentle and thoughtful man. God must have been waiting for the proper time when to reveal to Joseph the divine plan. Thus, when everything was in its place and when Joseph was ready enough, an angel revealed to Joseph the mind of God.

    What Joseph realized in that deep dream was the fulfillment of what he was hoping for and the hope of all humanity, the joy of all. God’s presence made into flesh is that greatest joy of all, and the fulfillment of the promise because “Yahweh saves.”

    Joseph began to see the scandalous situation of Mary’s pregnancy through the eyes of faith rather than his fears and disappointment, through God’s love rather than his anger and hate. Joseph now fully realized that this was the fulfillment of God’s promise, calling him also to fulfill his commitment.

    From then on, Joseph saw and felt that what has been revealed to him was truly scandalous because God revealed Himself to him, because God has become man there in the womb of Mary just to be with us. It was scandalous because we thought that God is up there or out there in the heavens only, a place that no person can reach. But then Mary was preggy (pregnant). This blows our minds now, because through that unexpected pregnancy, God is telling us the He is intimately present with us. God is telling us that humanity can become pregnant with God.

    Joseph understood that Mary’s pregnancy is a statement of God’s faithfulness and commitment to us. God commits himself to be our God. God commits himself to choose us as His people. This is God’s assurance to us now that he is present and he lives in the midst of our lives, in the midst of our pain, of our failures, of our disappointments, hurts and fears in order to bring to us His mercy, love and friendship.

    What God is telling us now is this – that God chooses life and not death because God chooses to be born like us. God is telling us that he never gives up on us because His name is Jesus – the God who saves us. God is telling us that we are not alone in our difficulties because He is Emmanuel, the God who is with us who gives joy and hope.

    May this reminds us now, that as God fulfills His promise to be with us and to be for us, we too are called to fulfill our commitments in our work or profession, among our friends and family, in our communities or organizations. May our commitment then, bring us into that realization that every time we fulfill our commitment, we also share in fulfilling God’s promise to be with us for we become God’s presence today. Hinaut pa.

  • Reasons to Rejoice

    Reasons to Rejoice

    December 13, 2020 – Third Sunday of Advent: Gaudete Sunday

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121320.cfm)

    Homily

    A friend once shared to me how he found it difficult to enjoy life and to live life truly. He found it hard not to give in to despair and sadness. The deaths in his family, the broken relationship he recently have, the financial crisis and the depressive environment because of the anxiety and fear brought by the pandemic have caused so much stress. He might just give up if these will continue. Indeed, he found it very difficult to find reasons to be joyful. Listening to my friend, it challenged me also to dwell deeper on this essential aspect of life, to find reason to rejoice. There must be more than what I believe, reasons to rejoice and be thankful for.

    This is the invitation today as we celebrate Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent. We are halfway towards Christmas and it is important that we become confident that there are indeed, reasons to be joyful in this life. Hence, let us discover our beautiful readings today and see how God invites us to find reasons to rejoice.

    In the Book of Prophet Isaiah, the prophet reminds the people of the reasons to rejoice. The people were back in Jerusalem from their exile in Babylon yet life back at home was still filled with injustice and difficulties. Returning home did not solve all their problems. They still found themselves at the brink of giving up. Thus, Isaiah proclaimed to the people, “a year of favor from the Lord.” This favor from the Lord invites the people to recognize the blessings of God even when life seemed not to be favorable. To arrive in this kind of consciousness with God requires the people to be more aware of God’s spirit dwelling in them. This kind of consciousness brought the prophet to a deeper realization and recognized that “God is the joy of my soul.” Thus, the prophet tells us now to also find in our heart that God indeed, is the joy of our soul.

    Such realization is an attitude that allows us to become more confident in God’s promise of salvation and freedom. That is why, the prophet also anticipated the joy and the blessing of God’s arrival. On that day, the Lord shall bring glad tidings to the poor, healing to the brokenhearted, freedom to the captives and prisoners.

    Finding God as the joy of our soul is what has been proclaimed to us also in the Responsorial Psalm which was taken from the Gospel of Luke. The Magnificat of Mary tells us how she rejoices in God her savior. In this song, Mary recounted how good is the Lord and how God brought so much transformation in her life and in the lives of many. God brings blessings and graces to us with His presence. If we would only realize this and will always rest our confidence in God, we shall always rejoice as well even if what lies outside our life is not favorable. Mary reminds us now that God remembers his promise of mercy. God, indeed, remembers us and will never forget us.

    That is why, Paul in his first letter to the Thessalonians also reminded them to rejoice always and in all circumstances give thanks. When our spirit is filled with gratitude, we look at things and look at life at the perspective of grace and blessing. Yet, when our spirit is filled with bitterness, then we look at the world and our life at the perspective of sin and curse. 

    For this reason, for us to keep our mind and heart filled with gratitude and at the perspective of grace and blessing, Paul reminds us today, to “pray without ceasing.” This is an invitation to always have the consciousness of God’s Spirit dwelling in us which will bring us into a deeper confidence that God is the joy of our soul. This was what Isaiah told us.

    In the same way, the concrete example given to us today who have become a person of joy and gratitude was John the Baptist. John who was filled with God’s Spirit even when he was still in the womb of her mother, was overflowing with joy. This must be the reason why John could not stop proclaiming the coming of the Messiah. As John’s response to what he felt, John became a witness. Because John experienced so much grace and so did became a grace to the people. Because he experienced the light of God, he too became a witness to that light.

    John could have claimed that he was the Messiah so that people will worship him. People were already looking up to him. Yet, he did not because the joy in John’s heart made him honest and truthful. Thus, a person who is indeed, filled with joy and grace of God would always point the source of such blessing. Becoming a witness of that grace and blessing is what makes us to rejoice truly in the Lord.

    Our invitations for today are these.

    First. Recognize your blessings even in the midst of your difficulties. There must be more reasons to rejoice than what we think and believe. As we recognize every blessing and grace, let God fill our heart with joy today.

    Second. Pray without ceasing that we may always become conscious of God’s Spirit dwelling in us. Never stop even if it becomes dry. Pray always that we find God always too.

    Third. Be a witness by becoming a joyful and generous giver to those who are in need of your presence, talents and resources. Joy is like corona virus, it is infectious. Rather than infecting others of our bitterness, anger and hatred, infect others with your joy, with your heart that is filled with God’s presence.

    Hinaut pa.

  • Sound Check. Mic-Test

    Sound Check. Mic-Test

    December 13, 2020 – Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday)

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121320.cfm)

    Homily

    Once in a big cathedral, as the priest is about to greet the people in the mass with the usual “the Lord be with you” (Ang Ginoo Maanaa kaninyo) to which the people were to respond: “And also with you,” (Maanaa usab kanimo) the people were not able to hear this because the wires in the microphone were defective. The priest then banged the microphone which fortunately made contact. But to his regret, while the mic regain contact, he accidentally shouted and broadcasted loudly: “there is something wrong with the microphone”. (Naay daut ang microphone) And worse, the people involuntarily replied: “And also with you.” (Maanaa usab Kanimo).

    Usually in the mass, we hear the normal greeting of the priest: The Lord be with you” (Ang Ginoo maanaa Kanimo). And then we usually reply, “and also with you” (Maanaa usab kanimo). But what does it mean? What does the Lord be with you mean?

    According to the scripture, the words, “the Lord be with you” is the first good news ever proclaimed to us. Since the annunciation of Maria, the birth of Jesus until His ministry, death and resurrection, these words and message have always been proclaimed and preached to us, and has been a recurring theme of the Good News of Jesus Christ. And even until now, the Spirit of God and the Church, has preached these to us again and anew – that the Lord is WITH you and all of us now.

    If the Lord is with us, how should we feel then? Our readings today call us to be Joyful and Thankful to God for He has blessed us with His presence and salvation in our lives. Isaiah rejoices over God’s grace bestowed not only on himself but on Us all, proclaiming: “My soul rejoices in my God”. St Paul exhorts that we should always rejoice and give thanks for such great blessing upon us.  John in our gospel today knows himself. He is not the Messiah himself. John is not the message or the Good New, but He is just the microphone & loudspeaker of the message. He is only the voice and just the precursor to prepare the way of the Lord. But he also aspires to be a worthy friend of the bridegroom. He is not the Groom but the joyful Best man or person for the Groom. This is also what John wishes for us – that We become the Best (worthy, righteous, and joyful) Person before God and others for the Christ, the Messiah, and become a Microphone/Loudspeaker of the message.

    We are now in the third Sunday of Advent. The whole Church calls this particular Sunday as “Gaudete Sunday”, the Sunday of Joy and Praise. We are encouraged to be always grateful of the Good News that the Lord is with and upon us.

    But are we really now joyful because of the Good News that the Lord is with us? Or are we, like what happened with the priest who said that mass, become accustomed and got used with the message that the Lord-is-with-us that we are not anymore happy and excited about it? And because we get used to it and have heard it before, we just automatically or mechanically respond without really meaning it: And also with you?” What then, is the difference if when we hear the Message, and we just respond, “OK, fine whatever.”? Or without interest responding “Amen”, whenever presented with “Body of Christ” during communion? Or just saying “So what?” when a special guest arrives in your home for a visit?

    If we have heard the good news that the Lord is with us, what should we do then? If we really recognize that the Lord is with us, it is but right and fitting that we should rejoice and be happy because a great grace has come upon us. And in our joy and gladness, we also need to preach and share this good news to all – that is we should actively witness, preach and proclaim this with all our words and actions. Like St. John the Baptist in our gospel, we who have heard and glad of the good news of salvation must also become the best man – like good microphone or sound system that proclaims, “the Lord is with us”. And in this season of advent, we must renew, prepare, and strengthen our faith, so that we may become worthy of His message.

    If the microphone is defective, we must also check if the speaker and receiver are also defective, for we might send a wrong message and get a wrong response. Advent then is Time for Sound Check & Mic Test – to ensure we are at our BEST condition to host our beloved Guest Jesus Christ.

    Christmastime proclaims to us the simple message: the Lord is with us. How about us? Are we with Him?

    May we Be with the Lord, as He has always been with Us. Amen.