Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Liturgical Year C

  • WELCOME BACK HOME

    WELCOME BACK HOME

    September 11, 2022 – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091122.cfm)

    We surely have heard and familiar with our gospel today. And hearing and reflecting again & anew today’s parable would still always be fascinating, for it offers us ever fresh insights into our Christian faith & life.

    Now, if we are to give it another title, how would we call it?

    Well, we all know that this parable is known to us as the parable of the prodigal son. But we also know that this parable is more just a story about the prodigal younger son’s misdeeds and repentance. The parable is also about the elder son’s bitterness as well as the father’s love. Surely there is more to this parable that it cannot be limited to the called only as: “the Prodigal Son”, or “the Merciful & Forgiving Father” or “Disapproving or Resentful Elder brother.” Perhaps we may also call it: “WELCOME BACK HOME”, I think.

    WHY? We, Filipinos all know that Ours is a culture of strong family ties, and the basic representation of this strong family relation is the HOME. That is why family occasions such as leaving and coming home are important events in the story of the whole family. When someone leaves home, it is like death – a big loss or gap within the family. While when someone comes back home, it is like a fiesta – a thanksgiving, an offer of renewed life & energy within the family.

    Especially for us Filipinos, there are three yearly events in our life that are occasions for homecomings – reflecting our family ties and our home life: the Christmas, Holy Week and All soul’s day. On these occasions, we usually find some time to come back home and spend some time and enjoy our own family. Surely you will all agree, that pasko or semana santa or kalag without kuya, ate, nanay or tatay would be “kulang,” guol o subo pud, murag namatyan. Feels like someone & somethings are missing & lacking.

    These events are important occasions in our Filipino family life and culture, because these are the moments not only for family get-together, knowing and enjoying each other anew, but also reconciling our differences and renewing our family relationships and visions in life.

    Our parable today has a strong appeal to us, Filipinos because it is all about “Homecoming.” It is about a loving father who receives his repentant son and appeases his resentful elder son BACK HOME. He invites both his sons to go back home. That is why somehow it is appropriate to call our gospel today as:  “Welcome Back Home.”  It is a homecoming, a reconciliation, a renewal of relationships.

    This reminds us of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, or what we commonly know as confession. Primarily the sacrament of reconciliation is a Sacrament of homecoming, an opportunity, an occasion for us Christian to be reconciled and be renewed with our relationship to God.

    As a minister of the sacrament of reconciliation, I learned two things in confession. First, that like in the parable, there are two kinds of penitents coming in for confession: the repentant and the resentful penitent who both needed, invited & received to be at Home with God, others, and himself. And second, that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is more than just a Sacrament of sorrow but a sacrament of joy. Long lines of penitents coming for confession (especially in our Redemptorist churches during Wednesdays) are indications not only of people’s sinfulness and sorrow but more so, are stories & our-story of homecomings, reconciliation, God’s healing, forgiveness, love, mercy, joy, and above all, renewal of our faith-life relationships. 

    Undeniably a few baptized Catholics nowadays have gone astray and have turned lukewarm in their relation with God in our church, especially during these Pandemic times. Our parable today is both a reminder and open invitation of Jesus for us Catholics, His people and follower, to COME BACK HOME to Him thru His Church.

    Consider then our whole life now, as Christians, is our homecoming – our way back home to the Lord thru His church. Regardless of what happened & happening in our lives now, this parable son is OUR STORY – the story of our journey of coming back & being welcomed by God, our Father – who, like the father in the parable, always merciful and ready to forgive, invites, waits and welcomes us back to his home. He can only express His abounding love to us if you and I, in sorrow or resentment approach Him and ask for his forgiveness and healing, for as He said to Isaiah, “Come back to me with whole heart… for long have I waited for you coming home to me and living deeply our new life.” Siya Nawa. Kabay pa. Amen.

  • Not for ME…

    Not for ME…

    September 4, 2022 – 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090422.cfm)

    Recently a Facebook post catches my attention. It is about a young man named Seth Adam Smith who realized, after being married for a year and a half, and said that: “Marriage is not for me”. Why? After all these months of marriage with his teenage sweetheart, he comes to understand now what his father’s advice to him before his wedding day, is becoming true and right before his very eyes. His dad once said to him then: “Seth, Marriage is not for you. You don’t marry to make yourself happy. You marry to make someone else happy. More than that, marriage is not for yourself. You’re marrying for a family and for your future children. Marriage is not for you. It is not about you. Marriage is about the persons you marry to.”

    Surely married couples here could relate to this realization or advice. For marriage is indeed not really for the sake of oneself but for the sake of your lifetime partner. Eventually married couples have to learn along the way that marriage is not all about me or about I but about us. And surely such realization is a hard-lesson to learn where learning happens only through trial and error experience.

    To be selfless, i.e. to be not selfish and self-centered then is the very challenge of committed love we called marriage. For love is more than just a feeling or emotion but a commitment and decision to go beyond and give up oneself for the sake of the other. In other words, in marriage – in committed love, couples are to love their own spouse as much and as more than they love themselves and they love one another.

    This is the very kind of love Jesus asked of us in His commandment of love when he said: “Love one another as I have loved you”. A love much and more than our kind of love, but a selfless love for the sake of the other, and a love that leads us to a life and a world that is not the same as it is, but for the better of you.  A married life committed in love not for your own but for the sake of your loved ones and of loving them, and above all for our Lord Jesus Christ.

    It is indeed easy nowadays for people to say: “Not for me”. Priesthood? Not for me. Religious life? Not for me. Marriage? Not for me. And even perhaps, Christianity? Not for me. But come to think of it, Priesthood, religious life, marriage – following Jesus is indeed not for Me nor for You, but for Him; not about Me or You, but about Him whom we love & follow in life as Christian. And faithful who opted for Christ is saying that their discipleship is SELFLESS – not for them but for Him whom they choose to follow in life.

    For what it is to be a Christian? What does it cost to be a disciple of Christ? To be a Christian, as Jesus taught us today is like marriage, more than just a preference but a commitment. To follow Christ is not just we prefer Christ in our dealings with life – that we want and like Christ to be part of our lives, but it is to commit ourselves to the Christian way of life. To commit to Christ then is to be selfless, i.e. let go of ourselves and let God be God in our lives.

    On one hand, to commit is to LET GO, that is to renounce – to give up everything. And this is not easy for usually we prefer to have, possess, acquire, and own everything. But Jesus reminds us that the Kingdom of God is more than what we prefer and desire (want and like) in life, but it is what God’s wants and wills what is best for our life. Like Seth who realized that “Christian Marriage is not for me…not for my sake but for the best and sake of my partner, and my own family”, being His disciples is not about being self-oriented, self-centered & inward-looking, but rather being other-oriented, other-centered & outward-looking. And the Kingdom of God is then not about You and I, not even about yours & mine. But God’s kingdom is all about We and Ours, and above all about HIM, as our Lord and we, as His disciples.

    On the other hand, to commit to Christ is also to LET GOD BE GOD, that is to submit to God’s will. Human as we are we like to be in control, to lead and to be the master. In a way we prefer to take the driver’s seat and take the steering wheels, and go where we want to go. But following Christ means to commit and submit to God’s will for us, and let God control, lead, guide, and form the direction of our lives. This means that we become passengers, and let Jesus takes the wheels and brings us to place and time in our life beyond our imaginings.  

    Again, be reminded what Jesus is saying to us in our gospel today: to BE HIS disciple is to hate our life, carry our crosses & follow Him, and renounce all our possessions… all for the sake of and because of HIM. Jesus himself, by his words and examples, has shown us how to be selfless by letting go and letting God be God.

    In the same way, for us to fully fulfil God’s kingdom in our lives, as Christians, pray we must that we selflessly commit our lives to Christ (as Christian husband, wife, mother, father, priest, religious nuns or brothers, sons and daughters, family) by letting Go and letting God be God with total commitment for Him (and, not for the sake of me, you, & ours alone) in faith & life. AMEN.

  • The Humble and the Arrogant

    The Humble and the Arrogant

    August 28, 2022 – 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082822.cfm)

    In the first reading from the Book of Sirach, the author advices us to be humble because humility pleases God and because humility is God’s attitude. It says, “My child, conduct yourselves with humility… humble yourselves the more, the greater you are.” This was an advice and a reminder to Israel who had become powerful and rich. Their kings and princes were given honor and titles, power and riches, yet, it was not be forgotten that everything comes from the Lord.

    It is only in humility that the people will stay grounded and connected with God and with the people, who they were called to serve.

    Humility, therefore, acknowledges our nothingness before God and that everything we enjoy in this life are gifts from the Lord. We are not to hoard power and riches or material wealth for our own benefit alone but must be shared to all and especially to the least. This will make a nation, a community lifting up one another.

    Hence, this reminds us that not in pride and not in arrogance that we will be truly confident and assured. Pride and arrogance only reveal our insecurities and evil desires. The proud and the arrogant person expresses an unquenchable and insatiable desire to hoard and to have more, demanding others to be served, thus, becoming self-entitled. This attitude leads to corruption, to abuses, to oppression and hence, to destruction of the self and of the community.

    In fact, in the Gospel, this is what Jesus was saying in his encounter with the proud and arrogant Pharisees. The Pharisees, who at the time of Jesus, were at the pedestal of the Jewish Community enjoyed privileges, titles and honor. Indeed, in many encounters of Jesus with them, Jesus would challenge them to look beyond themselves, beyond their comforts, beyond their secured places, and beyond the letters of the law.

    Moreover, Jesus, with the parable he gave, now, challenges the Pharisees to look beyond their entitlements that made their hearts proud and arrogant to the point that they have become indifferent to those in need, and ungrateful to the Lord the giver of everything.

    The Pharisees in the Gospel, have become an image for us who have grown self-entitled, proud and arrogant. We may not be far from this because the moment we use our position, our status, our social class, our educational attainment, our influence, in order to advance our self-interest and to demand praises and honor from others, then surely, we do that at the expense of others. We, therefore, would not think of others, but only ourselves. Thus, having a bloated ego and a self-entitled heart is surely ungrateful, unkind, can be cunning and malicious, and even abusive and corrupt in his or her relationships and dealings with people whether in work, business and daily affairs with others.

    Thus, the parable in today’s Gospel reminds us of the advice in the first reading, to be humble – not to seek places of honor and the recognition of others through our pride and arrogance.

    This paves the way for us to be more connected, grounded and aware of the needs of others and not just our needs. That is why, we also find in the parable the call to be generous and kind particularly to those who cannot repay our generosity. This means that when we make ourselves humble enough, then, we are also able to see and recognize the least in our community by being generous and kind.

    There are now three invitations on this Sunday for us to be humble.

    First, be grateful. A grateful heart humbles a person because we will be able to recognize that we are not entitled at all to receive God’s graces in life. God remains good to us not merely because of what we have done but because, God us simply loving and kind to us.

    Second, seek love not praises. Remember, no matter how rich and powerful we have become, no matter how educated, influential, or famous we may have been, at the end of our life, people remember us on how loving we have become and how much love we have given for others.

    Third, give out of generosity, and not with the intention to gain favor, to seek praise nor to merely advance our self-interest because when that becomes our intention, then, it is not generosity. It is rather the work of the abusive and corrupt, the arrogant and of the evil one.

    So, be grateful, seek love, and give out of generosity. Kabay pa.

  • OURS… not yours alone.

    OURS… not yours alone.

    August 28, 2022 – 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082822.cfm)

    While waiting for her flight, once a very proper British lady went to the airport café. She sat at a table for two, ordered a mug of cappuccino and set herself to enjoy some fine biscuits she had in her tote bag. Because the café was so crowded, a black Jamaican took the other seat in front of her and also had some brewed coffee. Not minding the company, the woman prepared for a leisurely time. And so, she began to read the paper and took a biscuit from a package on the table. She then noticed the man also took a biscuit from the same package. This upset her, but she just ignored it and kept on reading her paper. After a while she took another biscuit. And so did he. This irritated  her and so, he glared at him. But he then reached for the last biscuit, smiled at her and offered her half of it. Now indignant at such conceited man, she paid her bills and left hurriedly back to pre-departure gate. There, to check for her boarding pass, she opened her tote bag. And much to her distress & shame, she saw, that in her bag was her own package of biscuits. “Opps, dili diay to iya.” Di pala kanya, yon. Opps, she ate Not her OWN biscuits.

    Sometimes it is good to examine and ask ourselves: “What are the things that we claim as being rightly ours and yet are not truly ours?” This may not only be material possessions but could also be our status in society used to lord over others… titles used for personal advantages…. prejudices and biases harbored towards others… or self-righteous behaviors what makes us feel morally better or more privilege & important than others. Sometimes, we are not different from that lady. We sometimes claim these privileges that we come to think and believe that only ours to have, but do not really belong to us. Worse, we sometimes claim that we are the only rightful owners of the package of biscuits and it is exclusively for us to have and eat.

    Certainly Jesus would not tolerate and justify such behavior of distinctiveness, self-righteousness, and conceit. This is what Jesus openly criticizes here in our gospel today.  Although he was invited to a party hosted by a Pharisee, Jesus openly reprimanded both the guests and hosts for their unjust behaviors and practices of table fellowship. Jesus strongly condemned the Pharisees and scribes of his time for being so pre-occupied with honor, recognitions, privileges, titles, and social status, thinking they are greater compared to others.

    Here, Jesus warns us of our tendency, like Pharisees to see ourselves as more privilege – of great importance compared to others. For Jesus, the Kingdom of God is wider than our human standards of social status and privileges. He reminds us today that we are not the rightful owners but rather, sharers or stewards of God’s graces. We cannot exclusively claim ownership and privilege for what we have, because everything we have is a gift from God.  For Him, God’s Kingdom is more like a big banquet, a table-fellowship not exclusive for the most privilege but for ALL,  everybody especially for those who are humble enough to share their gifts to others, because no one is too poor who cannot share with others and no one is too rich who does not need others. As an Ilonggo church song would say: Wala sang kubos nga indi makahatag, Wala sang adunahan nga wala nagakinahanglan.

    Instead of being so conscious of our positions and honors in the God’s kingdom, Jesus calls us to humble ourselves and be more concerned of those who are discriminated and less fortunate than ours, “for whoever makes himself out to be great will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be raised.” Thus, to find favor before God is to humble oneself. Rather than selfishly thinking of our greatness, the more we need to humble ourselves or else we may stumble, and fall.

    Our Covid pandemic realities nowadays indeed are rather humbling experiences for us. It makes us realize that we are not owners but just administrators and stewards of everything we have in life; and also makes us learn that what we have are meant not to be exclusively own but rather be collectively shared with others. In our common poverty and humility, we come to empathize and be concerned of others than ourselves. We are not on our own, but we are all in this together.

    Today, here in our Eucharist, our Lord Jesus invites us to his table-fellowship, not because of our greatness and honors but because of His great love for us.  Here in this Eucharist, let us humbly take part in Him meal and ask the Lord to make us more concern & open to share with others, especially the poor and needy. So be it. Amen.

  • The Narrow Gate is Wider than We Think

    The Narrow Gate is Wider than We Think

    August 21, 2022 – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082122.cfm)

    It is a standard procedure in airports that each passenger must go through metal detector devices and the luggage to x-ray machines. Each passenger will pass these, and the nearer we are at the gate, we have to pass through the machines again and by this time in a more thorough and stricter manner. Metals in the body are removed, these include, mobile phones, watches, belts, coins and even shoes at times are asked to be removed. When there will be undesirable objects like scissors, lighters or any pointed objects and even breakable items like bottles which exceed to the allowed size, everything has to be to be surrendered. A passenger has to let go of them or take the hassle again of going back to the check-in counter.

    I realized also that the more I bring unnecessary things in my flight the more it becomes troublesome for me. Besides, if I bring undesirable items too then, I am asked to let go of those things that are not allowed in the flight just for me to be allowed to board.

    This realization brought me into today’s readings. So, I invite you also that we see again and discover how God unfolds his invitations for us today on this 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time.

    Someone asked Jesus, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” We would wonder why that man asked about that. Well, the path that Jesus was taking seemed too difficult for this man. This was the reason why he asked the Lord about this. Jesus’ way was totally different from the trend at that time. People believed in a God who was so far away, too powerful and almighty. Yet, Jesus presented a God who is so close with the people. The people believed in an untouchable God who burdens them with so many laws to follow. Yet, Jesus introduced to them a God who heals the broken-hearted, who favored the poor and the despised. Their world taught them that they should be above others, to be rich, famous and powerful. But then, Jesus remained humble and poor, simple and unassuming, weak and powerless.

    The Lord desires that everyone will be saved, and will experience healing and peace, reconciliation and freedom. This is what we have heard from the first reading in the Book of Isaiah. It was an affirmation of God’s desire to gather every one whether Jews or Gentiles, sinners or saints, rich or poor. People from all nations will come to worship the Lord. Indeed, it is God’s desire that all will be saved by overcoming the division and hatred in each one through reconciliation

    However, as it was at the time of Jesus, we continue to prevent the Lord from making us closer to him. Our tendency to advance our selfish desires and interests at the expense of others, stops us in allowing the Lord to work in us. Selfishness and arrogance continue to hold us back from God.

    Yet, God’s salvation is offered to us freely, but not imposed on us. And so it means that salvation also requires our participation. This makes the door of salvation “narrow” because of the commitment that it entails as we live our life.

    To understand this better, the Letter to the Hebrews tells us on how we could enter that narrow gate. It is through “discipline.” The author wants to tell us that the trials and sufferings that we endure in this life are opportunities for us to be disciplined by God. And this is where we can participate with God.

    When we encounter problems and difficulties, and disappointments, particularly in your marriage, with your families, with your friends, with your studies, or work or business – do not retreat or become aggressive. Retreating or being aggressive will do us no good. These trials are opportunities for us to build our personality, to be responsible, to grow with confidence, to be committed, to be honest, and to gain more wisdom.

    But remember, in this kind of discipline, God never desires us to suffer or to be in pain. Pain and suffering are part of this world where we are now. Yet, God, in His wisdom, uses these human experiences of pain, suffering, disappointments, failures, and fears as ways to discipline us. These are doors for us to welcome God in our life so that He may be able to bring blessings upon us, to give us His peace and freedom. Certainly, God desires that we turn to Him and become closer to Him.

    Indeed, trials in life are ways for us to strip ourselves from our arrogance, to let go of our selfish desires, and to turn away from our sinful ways. These are the unnecessary baggage that will prevent us from entering the narrow gate. Yet, when we come as we are, without any pretensions and selfishness, then, we shall see that the narrow gate of Jesus is wider than us. 

    Thus, God’s way of disciplining us is not about punishing us and giving more pain to us, but to correct us, to mold us and to form us according to His desire for us. As we become conscious of this, we will discover the wonder of the process of working with God to mold us.

    Hence today, there are three invitations that I want you to remember and that also serves as your take aways.

    First, show and express God’s desire for the salvation of all. But how? It is by offering and giving of peace and reconciliation. This calls us to recognize pain the we have caused and to amend what we have done. This calls us too to embrace forgiveness no matter how difficult it may be for us. Only then, that we shall find healing and freedom.

    Second, God desires our active participation. This means that in the work of redemption we are not mere bystanders and mere observers. As we participate with God let us listen attentively to His voice in the scriptures, in our sacraments, in our culture, in our current events and with those who are suffering in many ways in our community, so that we may be able to respond with compassion and love, in justice and in mercy.

    Third, be instruments of God’s salvation. This calls us now that in whatever status or standing we have in our society, each of us is called to be an instrument of salvation, of healing and peace to each one and not agents of death and damnation, not agents of curse and hatred, not agents of corruption and dishonesty. Kabay pa.