Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: LiturgIcal Year B

  • EPHPHATA

    EPHPHATA

    September 8, 2024 – 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090824.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 has both hearing and speech impediments. And 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?

    I happen to came across once 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 rrom 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 & beyond, Jesus do will 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 to be 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.

    So May It Be. Hinaut pa unta. Amen.

  • Conscience over reputations

    Conscience over reputations

    September 1, 2024 – 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090124.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 somehow 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 suggests, 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 sake of image & 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).

    Yes, 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.

    Help us O Lord to pay much attention to God’s still and small voice speaking within our hearts, and thus we can righteously live life in a way that will keep our consciences free and clear before God, now and always.

    So May It Be. Amen.

  • Decision to Believe

    Decision to Believe

    August 25, 2024 – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082524.cfm)

    During the revolution in Nicaragua, it was once said that a group of Catholics seeks refuge inside a big cathedral. While praying inside as the war between rebels and army escalates,  gun-toting rebels 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 went out in a hurry and left the church, while the rest stayed behind trembling. The rebels then, closed the cathedral’s door and said, “Brothers and sisters, please continue to pray. We all need your prayers. But we 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 testimony 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 already 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 us?”

    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? Do we really believe and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior or do we desert Him like others do? Simple put, do we say what we mean & mean what we say? Are we believers in faith, or just in name?

    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. Ours then is our decision to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.

    Like the Apostles, 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…

  • OPEN INVITATION

    OPEN INVITATION

    August 18, 2024 – 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081824.cfm)

    It was once told that while a grand feast celebration is going on in heaven, our Lord Jesus is found missing. As to account for His whereabouts, the disciples are to search for Him discreetly. Eventually Peter found the Lord at the pearly gates waiting for someone else. So, when Peter asked Him about His seeming absence & distance, the Lord said: “I’m still waiting for Judas to come. I invite Him in & He is always welcome to join us.”

    We all do familiar with Peter & Judas. Both are the Lord’s trusted disciples (Peter as coordinator/Judas as treasurer) & both have failed the Lord (Peter’s denial/Judas’ betrayal). But what makes Peter better than Judas is that Peter allows himself to be forgiven, loved & invited again by the risen Lord. By killing himself, Judas however missed his chance to be forgiven, loved & invited by the risen Lord. But regardless what happened, our Lord still waits & invites us ALL (not only Judas) to be with Him united in God’s glory.

    Simply put, God’s love for us through our risen Lord Jesus Christ is always an Open Invitation to all. We are all welcome then to partake & participate in God’s divine life as His family & children. All we have to do is to come & respond to God’s open invitation & allow Him again to forgiven, love & invite us always.

    Brothers and Sisters, at the very heart of our readings today is the expressions of God’s open invitation for us to be part of His divine life.

    In our first reading, God, as wisdom invites us to celebrate with Him, saying “Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.”

    Paul even advised us in our spiritual divine life with God to watch carefully how we live, try to understand the Lord’s will, & be filled with the Spirit. And in our gospel today, when he said to the crowds: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world,”

    Jesus is inviting us all to accept & consume His person into our very lives so that He may be with us always & we may be welcome into His divine life with God, our Father, explicitly encouraging to “Taste & See the goodness of the Lord” as our Psalm exhorts. Thus, God openly invites & wills for all of us to be one with Him in His divine life with Christ.

    We emphasize here that such open invitation of God is not only available in heaven later at the end of time, but is extended even now here in our earthly life through our Eucharistic celebration. Yes, His open invitation for us to be part of His divine life is celebrated here & now as we partake in the banquet  of the Lord’s Holy Eucharist.

    This means also that by invitation – the Lord’s invitation, and not by our worthiness, we celebrate the Holy Eucharist. Yes, we come to attend the Eucharist not because we are worthy deserving, but because we are invited by God.

    We come to celebrate Eucharist because we are welcomed by God beyond & regardless of our righteousness or sinfulness. Because we are loved & beloved by God, we partake & celebrate in our Lord’s banquet here & now, and so, participate in sacred life, worthy & unworthy we maybe.

    Be reminded then that the Lord’s invitation is ever present & inclusive. All are invited & welcome to partake in the Holy Eucharist in our earthly life here & now, and to be united in the divine life with our God now & always.

    As we grow in our divine life by our Christian faith & witness, may we come, honor & respond accordingly to His open invitation regardless how blessed or broken we may be. Amen.

  • LIFE’S FOOD

    LIFE’S FOOD

    August 11, 2024 – 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081124.cfm)

    Surely we are familiar with the expression: “You are what you eat”. But what does it mean?

    It is one way of saying that what  food we intake mirrors what makes up our body. Our diet – what we eat reflects then not only our body but also our person. Properly it means “tell me what you eat & I will tell you what & who you are.” A vegetarian & herbivore eat plants, fruits & vegetables. A carnivore eats meat, fish & fowls. An omnivore & flexitarian eat both plants & meat.

    We should however not take this literally for there is more to our person than our diet. Nevertheless, somehow our diet & food intake mirror the state & health of our whole being. It somehow also saying “You reap what you sow” i.e. good seed bears good fruits, bad seed bears bad fruit. In computer lingo, GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out).

    This is what Jesus trying to convey in our gospel today when He used the image of Himself as Bread of Life. Same as food is essential to Life, Jesus is also saying to the people then & to us now that like food, Jesus is essential to our life with God.

    What makes us alive & healthy then in our faith-relationship with God, our father is our recognition, acceptance & complete trust in Jesus as the Bread of Life. Our intake & communion of Jesus’ life, faith & mission mirror our very person in life & our being before God. A Christian then eats, nourishes & lives on our Lord Jesus Christ.

    Be conscious that nowadays there is an unhealthy tendency to over- emphasize our sins than God’s offer of life. We hear some thinking that in attending mass, we should not take communion if have not gone to confession yet, OR it is a sin to take communion without confession.

    This is unhealthy & a misnomer (wrong & inaccurate) for the Eucharist is God’s offer of life that we should never reject and undervalue over & above our sins & repentance. In other words, there is more to God’s offer Life in Jesus as the Bread of Life than just about the forgiveness of our sins.

    In the Eucharist then, God is not concerned about your Sin or Our sins, but concerned of our Life with Him. And if you attend mass for the sake of your sins & not life with God, you might as well not go to mass, but go to confession instead because you are not well-disposed & not worthy of the life food being given in the Eucharist.

    Remember our Lord Jesus is the Savior & the Bread of life (God’s manna/food for us). He is not the Judge to condemn & punish us of our sins. He offers us life & salvation, not judgment, condemnation & damnation.

    As we try to live what we believe, practice what we preach, may we grow more mature & healthy in our faith as we receive God’s food of life in Jesus; and outgrow our shortcomings to be better & do better as faithful of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

    So be it. Amen.