Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Liturgical Year C

  • By CHOICE

    By CHOICE

    June 26, 2022 – 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062622.cfm)

    “How could I now tell my parents that I choose to settle down my life in marriage?” Quite a pressing concern might be for young mature couple nowadays. Somehow these words express the dilemma of young mature people are in – not only in making decision, but also of facing the implications of such decision. These words are not just about choosing one’s life-path & identity, but also of being responsible for & committed to one’s choice, either to be married, ordained, consecrated or singleton in life.

    A wise man once said: “Life is about choices. Some we regret. Some we are proud of. Some will haunt us forever… And the message is: We are what we choose to be.” True indeed, we are product not of our circumstances & conditions but rather of the choices & decisions we make with those situations. We are what & who we are, not by circumstances but by CHOICE. One wise man would even say: “Your decision today is a statement of who you are & a declaration of who you choose to be.” Your identity & responsibility then is Your choice. And your choice is your identity & responsibility. Whatever, whoever, & however you are in life is by CHOICE… -with all its consequences.

    The same can be & should be said about being Christian. To follow Jesus in life is BY Choice & not by circumstances. As he has pointed out in our gospel today, following Jesus demands our very own choice to be His disciples & to be responsible for our chosen life of discipleship for Him – however it might now be.

    Consider that as we grow in our Christian life, God calls each one of us to a more radical discipleship – a more radical following of Christ. Eventually as we go through life, each one of us, as Christian has to make a life-commitment before the Lord. We have to make a free and voluntary life decision of what kind of Christian will you be, – whether as married, ordained, professed or single-blessed person. Such decision or option is our radical way of responding to His call to follow Him. Such as in marriage, a man leaves his mother, a woman leaves her home, they will travel on the road and the two became as one. All of us have to follow in Lord’s journey back to the Father in the way of life that he has called you to be – not by force or fear, nor by mere reactions to life-challenges, but by our free choice & commitment. 

    Like Elisha in our reading today, eventually we have to make a decision to leave everything behind and make a commitment to follow the Lord’s journey-pilgrimage to our Jerusalem.  In a sense, Jesus calls us consequently to give up all our securities, to be faithful & loyal to the way of life God has called us to be, and to be free for God and His people.

    Come to think of it. In the icon of OMPH, we see Mary, Our Mother tenderly holding her frightened Child Jesus close in her heart. This is an image of Mary as Theotokos (the God-bearer) who by her Choice, Fiat, Yes – has taken the choice & responsibility of taking care God’s presence in life. Through her Choice with all its consequences, Mary becomes the first tabernacle of God’s presence in our faith-life journey.

    Same way with Mary, the Christian life we live is our (yours & mine) chosen & committed life, regardless of   whatever & however the present state or outcome maybe. Regrettable, haunting, challenging, gratifying or glorifying may your life be, remember this is the life you choose & promise to be before God & others. This is the life you choose to be before God & others. And as per advice of St. Teresa of Calcuta who said: “God called us to be faithful, not to be successful,” the Christian life we chose & are choosing in following the Lord thus demands our faithfulness rather than our successes.  

    So, Remember then, that there was once a time in your life that you choose to be the kind of Christian you are now. Indeed, your decision is a statement of who you are and a declaration of who you choose to be. Move on and don’t look back. Howsoever the journey may have been so far, trust that He is leading and guiding you in your path. In whatever & however situation you might be, pray more for faithfulness & fidelity than success – that you remain steadfast in your commitment to Him, who journey with us always on the road of life now & forever. Amen.

  • GIVE THEM SOME FOOD YOURSELVES

    GIVE THEM SOME FOOD YOURSELVES

    June 19, 2022 – Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061922.cfm)

    How often do you go hungry, physically? With people who have easy access to food supply, to feel hungry is a choice, perhaps because of workload, so the meal is being delayed. Others, perhaps because of dieting, in order to lose weight. Yet, to many who do not have an easy access to food supply, being hungry is not a choice, but a struggle they cannot avoid.

    According to World Bank, hunger levels remain alarmingly high, globally, with a number close to 193 million people acutely food insecure.[1]  UNICEF also said that there are 95 Filipino children dying every day because of malnutrition.[2] While the recent SWS result said that there is a total of about 12.2% of Filipinos or an estimated number of 3.1 million Filipino Families who experienced hunger in the first quarter of 2022.[3] Out of this 3.1 million, 2.4 million families have experienced moderate hunger while 744,000 families have to survive as they were having severe hunger.

    Hunger, indeed, is everywhere. Despite the advancement of our technology, food security remains a problem. There is a need for us that we too shall become aware of the hunger that many of our brothers and sisters around us are suffering. We cannot just be blind and indifferent to this need. Our readings this Sunday, on this Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ would actually help us to be more conscious of such hunger and other forms of hunger around us. The Lord through this sacrament of the Holy Eucharist nourished us, yet, this also calls us to be able to respond, as individuals and as a church.

    The Gospel reading we have today captures on how we are called to respond. So let us see how we are being called today.

    The disciples upon seeing the crowd of people wanted to dismiss them so that they can look for food. At this moment, the disciples could not see their responsibility to provide food for the crowd since they did not have the resources. This was the reason why the twelve asked Jesus to dismiss the people. Naturally, they were worried because they did not have enough food for themselves.

    However, what was surprising was the response of Jesus. “Give them some food yourselves,” Jesus told them. Such a response was perhaps ridiculous to the minds of the disciple. They were conscious that what they have were only five loaves and two fish. Hence, the anxiety of the disciples came from that scarcity. If they would give the little that they have, what would be left? In the minds of the disciples, there will be nothing for them. They will go hungry. And they were not ready to do such a thing.

    Such attitude and belief of the disciples tell us something about ourselves. Our natural tendency is to keep things for ourselves. We think first of ourselves. We first take care of our needs. Yet, when it becomes our anxiety, this can blind us, not being able to recognize the needs of others and separates us from the difficulties of people around us. This explains why the disciples wanted to dismiss the people. They did not want to take care of their needs. Hence, they too became dismissive and indifferent.

    However, this has become an opportunity for Jesus the teach the disciples and to open their eyes to the needs of others. “Give them some food yourselves,” was Jesus’ invitation for the disciples to look beyond themselves and beyond their anxieties of losing and giving. Certainly, losing something from us and giving out something for others can become an anxiety and insecurity in us especially when we believe that we do not have enough.

    But then, this was how Jesus revealed to the disciples and now to us that it is in generously giving oneself that we find satisfaction and true fulfillment in life. This is the reason why we celebrate the Eucharist and this Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, for Jesus himself offered and generously gave his own body and blood, his whole life for our sake.

    The multiplication of bread and fish was the very image of a life being shared to others in which those who have received were also inspired to give and make the sacrifice for others. This will remain powerful in us when the memory of giving oneself is preserved and done out of gratitude.

    This is how Paul reminded us in the second reading. Paul shared his gratitude as he said, “I received from the Lord what I also handed to you.” Paul himself who received Christ in his life, was motivated and inspired to also give his own life for others as his concrete expression of making the memory of Jesus alive. And as he expressed that gratitude, he also reminded the people at Corinth of the command of Jesus, “Do this in memory of me!” The sharing of the meal is meant to be shared to all and should come from a heart that is grateful. Once this is done out of the context of the community and without gratitude, then, it ceases to be a powerful memory of Jesus.

    That is why Paul wrote this letter to remind them of the errors they did.  The people became neglectful of the true meaning of the Lord’s Supper. For the people, it was just an occasion of eating and drinking. But, the Lord’s Supper is more than that but doing it in the memory of Jesus, making the bread and wine into true body and blood of Christ that gives life to others.

    Now, on this solemnity, there are at least three invitations for us in order to make the memory of Jesus more alive and powerful in us.

    First, give without grumbling and give out of generosity. This will only be possible when we also remain grateful no matter how little we have in life.

    Second, as we truly receive Christ in this Eucharist, be always life-giving, as Christ gives us his life. We can only be life-giving when we think less of ourselves and less of our comfort.

    Third, share a meal with the hungry. When you have an opportunity to feed a person who is hungry, please do not close your eyes, do not dismiss or send them away without nothing.

    As we allow these invitations be made concrete in our actions, may our way of life will also truly become a powerful memory of Jesus today. Kabay pa.

    [1] https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/agriculture/brief/food-security-update#:~:text=Globally%2C%20hunger%20levels%20remain%20alarmingly,previous%20high%20reached%20in%202020.

    [2] https://www.unicef.org/philippines/child-survival#:~:text=Every%20day%2C%2095%20children%20in,permanent%2C%20irreversible%20and%20even%20fatal.

    [3] https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1607293/3-1m-filipinos-experienced-hunger-in-q1-of-2022-sws-survey-shows

  • In AGAPE

    In AGAPE

    June 19, 2022 – Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061922.cfm)

    There was once a man who desired to know the difference between heaven and hell. He went through a lot of painstaking investigation as to the distinction between heaven and hell. But in vain, because all he got were some descriptions, pictures and stories depicting about heaven and hell.   

    One night in his sleep, he dreamt that he found himself in front of the Lord. The Lord asked him, “What is it that you desire?” He replied, “Lord, I like to experience the difference between heaven and hell.” So, the Lord said, “Go into that room.” So, he went into a room filled with sad, hungry, sick, weak and malnourished people. While observing around, he noticed that at the center of the room, there is a big pot of steaming delicious rice soup (arrozcaldo). However, he realized people could not enjoy the food because they are using spoons with long handle. He thought, “to eat your food using spoon with long handle must surely be hell.” Outside he told the Lord, “Now I know what hell is. How about heaven?” The Lord directed him to another room. Upon entering, he met happy, healthy and alive people, and he said to himself : “This must be heaven”. He also observed that at the center of the room lies a big pot of steaming hot delicious arrozcaldo, and also people were using spoons with long handle. Coming out from the room more confused, he then asked the Lord: “Now what’s the difference? Both are in the room with delicious food in their midst while using spoons with long handles to feed. How come people in hell are sick, people in heaven are healthy?” The Lord replied, “Sadly people in hell never learned to use their spoons properly. Their long-handle spoons are meant to feed others than themselves. In heaven, people enjoys instead the food together by feeding each other and one another in kindness and communion.

    Our gospel today reminded us of the miracle of the multiplication of loaves. Although caused by Jesus, the miracle-happened is not only the multiplication of food and the feeding of multitudes but moreso on the agape or communion: food-blessings shared and enjoyed by all. Same as today, people then must had bought their own meal for themselves to attend the big meeting and gathering. But as the people witnessed what Jesus did with the little bread kindly offered, blessed, distributed and shared with others, they were also inspired and move to offer, pray, and share in kindness the small food-baon they have with others. The real miracle then is the Agape-Communion, i.e.  food-shared and the sharing in kindness of the food. Thus heaven be-like and miracles do happen whenever people share whatever little blessings that we have with one another & others in loving kindness.

    For the past three Sundays, we put value to the treasures the risen Lord has left us to sustain in our Christian daily lives. Jesus once said: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life”. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we come to believe and proclaim the TRUTH that our Lord Jesus is the Son of God, who makes us know and call our God as our Father, and thus we are God’s children.  With the gift of the Holy Trinity, we learn the WAY to aspire for God’s love and life by glorifying our Father through the witness of the Son, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. As shown to us by our Lord, the gift of His Body and Blood offers us the LIFE to nourish, sustain and direct our faith-life journey toward our heaven – God’s life and glory.

    Today the whole Church celebrates the Solemnity of Corpus Christi: the Body and Blood of Christ. This is to remind us that the Lord has given and left us the gift of Eucharist as Life to live and follow as Christian. Our readings today reminded us that God has continually nourished us in Life. Through the Body and Blood of Christ, God offers us Jesus as our food to nourish and sustain us in daily faith-life journey. However, for miracles to happen and a taste of heaven be enjoyed in life, the Eucharist as food for our journey are meant to be shared in kindness with others and one another. In other words, food and graces given to us are not only meant for ourselves but must be blessed and shared in communion and kindness with others & one another in life as Community of faith. The food and life God offers us through the Body of Blood Christ then are meant to be in agape and communion with others and one another, and not to be keep only for oneself.

    We might say nowadays: “You are what you eat, and who you eat with” or “The food you eat reflects your identity and your company to keep.” Like, a vegetarian eats vegetables with vegetarians. Meat-eater parties with meat-eaters. Drinkers hangs-out with drunkards. In the same way, Catholics who attend and receive Eucharist regularly are spiritually healthy, happy, more kind and generous to share with others. Catholics however who rarely attend and receive Communion – as we have been deprived lately due to lockdowns & restrictions, tends to be spiritually weak, usually sad, stingy and selfish to share with others. Again for miracles to happen and for us to have a glimpse and taste of heaven in life, we must learn to properly receive our blessings by attending, taking and sharing Holy Eucharist with others and one another in community.

    As we are continually nourished by God through the Eucharist, the life of the Body and Blood of Christ, may we be more inspired, nourished, and moved to share our faith and blessings in kindness and communion with others & one another. Amen.

  • GROWING IN #RELATIONSHIPGOAL WITH THE HOLY TRINITY

    GROWING IN #RELATIONSHIPGOAL WITH THE HOLY TRINITY

    June 12, 2022 – Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061222.cfm)

    Our faith in the Holy Trinity is central to our Christian Faith and Tradition. So let me remind you that our faith in the Holy Trinity, recognizes and worships the TRIUNE GOD. God’s self-revelation to us takes the form of three different Divine Persons – that is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

    We also need to understand and have a firm belief that each Divine Person in the Holy Trinity is different. This means that God the Father is not God the Son, and that God the Father and God the Son is not God the Holy Spirit. Yet, they are One God. Quite confusing right? Don’t worry, this mystery of the Holy Trinity also confused many because it is beyond logic and beyond the basic mathematical formula.

    Nevertheless, the HOLY TRIUNE GOD, as much as the Bible revealed to us and our ancestors in the faith, like the Church Fathers many centuries ago taught us, God’s self-revelation or God’s Divine Revelation in our human history is through the Person of God the Father, through the Person of God the Son and through the Person of God the Holy Spirit.

    Since, God is One in Three, this must also be understood that even at the very beginning, the Triune God is responsible for the creation of the world, though we attribute creation with the Father, as the creator. The same also with the redemption of the world from sin and death, the Triune God out of great love for the world sent Jesus Christ, the God the Son. The same also goes in sanctifying the world. It is the Triune God that sanctifies and renews the face of the earth through the sending of the Holy Spirit into the world and into our hearts.

    With these, I want you to pay more attention to the word RELATIONSHIP. As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, each of us today also is called to share in the life of our God. We can only share that life through our relationship with the Triune God.

    Now, allow me to journey with you through the readings we have today and see how this relationship is unfolded in us and how does this call today.

    The Book of Proverbs tells us that the Wisdom of God is being personified. It was proclaimed, “Thus says the wisdom of God: “The LORD possessed me, the beginning of his ways, the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago; from of old I was poured forth, at the first, before the earth.”

    This expresses that the wisdom of God is responsible for all the things we have in the world, both the seen and unseen. More than that, this also tells us how the wisdom of God nurtures life. The wisdom of God creates and recreates, animates and gives life. Thus, this is how the love of the Father-Creator overflows to us, to every living and non-living being.

    This is affirmed in our Psalm today, God’s fingers and God’s hands created many wonders. And everything is created out of love and out of goodness. So, look around you, see and realize how the wisdom of God is revealed to us every day and in every single moment of our life. This, indeed, is #relationshipgoal with the Father-Creator whose wisdom and love gives and nurtures life.

    Moreover, the second reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans tells us also about the grace of peace. Paul speaks of this grace through his faith in Jesus. That faith develops and nurtures his relationship with Jesus. This tells us too that faith, certainly, is not something abstract or a mere idea in the mind. But, it is a relationship with God.

    But, let us also remember, St. Paul, at first, did not like Jesus because he did not understand him. Paul hated Jesus because everything about him was an insult to his personal belief and perspective in life. In fact, his hatred for Jesus made him a violent torturer of the first Christians. But then, something happened. Paul whose name before was Saul, met Jesus when he was on his way to Damascus. And when he met Jesus, what he only saw was light and that light blinded him.

    His blindness moved him to seek help and seek the grace of healing. Thus, his encounter with Jesus brought him to the true light. This was how he recovered his sight but now seeing in a different perspective. He began to see and understand things through the love of God to him.

    This was how Saul got his name Paul, as a way of change in his life, his story of conversion to Jesus’ friendship. Now, Paul became convinced of this friendship with Jesus, in fact, in his letter to the Romans, Paul expressed his #friendshipgoal with Jesus. Paul personally felt and experienced God’s love and forgiveness for him through the person of Jesus.

    Finally, in today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about the Spirit of Truth who shall be our guide. The gift of the Holy Spirit as we have celebrated it last Pentecost Sunday, is God reaching out into our hearts, to bring that peace, renewal and life in us. Thus, the Holy Spirit was sent by the Father and the Son (John 14:26 and 16:7) so that God may be in us and we, in God. This is how the Holy Spirit purifies and sanctifies us or makes us holy in our daily lives.[1]

    This is now the #relationshipgoal with the Holy Spirit. Moreover, St. Paul reminded us in his letter that the Holy Spirit has been given to us already. In effect, the gift of the Spirit makes us comfortable with each other. It means that we don’t consider ourselves as strangers to one another, but a family, a group of friends not afraid of one another. Because in this friendship we open up ourselves to one another and to God, all our imperfections and weaknesses, sharing our strengths, talents, riches and our very life.

    Now, out of these, there are three more hashtags that calls to grow in our #relationship-goal with the Holy Trinity.

    First, #Nurture. As God the Father nurtures the whole creation, as a person, nurture your talents and gifts so that you may be able to develop and realize your every potential in the way God desires it.

    Second, #Buildrelationships. As Jesus came and dwelt among us, he encountered people personally by building friendship with them. This is evident on how he gathered and called his disciples. Through a personal encounter, Jesus built lasting and intimate friendships. Thus, as a person, make friends, build healthy relationships.

    Third, #ReachOut. God has reached out to us through the Holy Spirit who shall remind, teach and guide us. Through the Holy Spirit, God’s presence dwells in us. That is why, be daring enough to reach out also to others, make your presence felt by those who need a friend. Be bold enough to extend and give yourself for the sake of others, for that brother or sister who may be struggling right now. Be there for that person. Be God’s presence for those who are troubled. Kabay pa.

    [1] Arlandson, “A Brief Explanation of the Trinity.”

  • Uniquely Christian

    Uniquely Christian

    June 12, 2022 – Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061222.cfm)

    A group of mountain climbers found themselves stranded near the highest peak. As the air grew thin and the weather got colder, they started to feel cold and weak. One of them made a fire, that brought them to gather and contribute whatever they have, to sustain the fire. As they began to enjoy its heat & warmth, they pulled out and shared not only all the food that they have, but also their stories and dreams in life with one another. In effect, whatever they shared before the campfire sustain and inspire them anew to move on with their journey after rest. However, one of them decided to be on his own, took a stick with a fire, and isolated himself from the group. Eventually, being away from the group, his fire extinguished, that made him sleepy, cold and weak again.

    With the team, we get strength and inspiration. Away from the team, we get tired, weak, and dispirited in our life-journey.

    As Christians, we praise God in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. We give glory to God Father, Son, & the Holy Spirit. We proclaim our creed of faith: “I believe in God, the Father…in Jesus Christ… in the Holy Spirit.” At its very core, unlike any other religions, our Christian faith is Trinitarian, i.e. we uniquely believe in God, the Father-Son-Holy Spirit. As we honor today the Holy Trinity, perhaps now we consider what it means for us to believe in the Trinitarian God.

    First, the word covenant simply would mean, “coming together”. As God is making covenant with us, God wants to “come together for us/with us/in us”. In God the Father, we come to believe a “God-for us” who chooses us to be His own people. In God the Son, we come to believe Emmanuel Jesus, a “God-with us” who makes known to us God’s love for us, and how to love God in return. In God the Holy Spirit, we come to believe a “God-in us”, who inspires, directs, and sustains us in life of faith. To believe in the Holy Trinity then is to “come together” – to be in COVENANT with God, much as God is in covenant with us. As God is for us/with us/in us, we must also be people for God, with God, and in God.

    Second, in the Lord’s ascension, we are reminded that the risen Lord is not-finished yet. As today’s gospel reminds us, His mission of salvation for us is still a work-in progress, and is now a product of the concerted-effort, team work of the communion of the Holy Trinity. Our salvation is the dynamic actions OF our God, the Father who chooses us to be His own, THROUGH God the Son who is loving us always, and WITH the God the Holy Spirit who inspires, directs, and sustains us in life. To believe in the Holy Trinity is thus to be in COMMUNION with God. As God acts and works as one for our salvation, so also we must be in sync, in tune with God’s concerted saving actions for our salvation. Thus, we not only give glory to them but also we are in sync with the works OF the Father, THROUGH the Son, WITH the Holy Spirit for our salvation.

    Third, as the Lord mandated us to proclaim our faith to all nations, He particularly challenges us to make disciples in the name of the Holy Trinity. Making disciples while proclaiming our faith to all nations would mean helping ourselves and one another to be in constant covenant with God, and in partnership-communion with God’s work of salvation for us. To believe in the Holy Trinity then is to lead our lives and faith as Church, a COMMUNITY of faith. As God is and works as Community, we too must also be and acts as Church, a community of Christian faith, living and witnessing God’s being and acting in our lives.

    The Holy Trinity shows us as Church how to be and act as God’s own People. As much as God be and acts together, to have a Trinitarian faith we too must be and act in Covenant, in Communion and in Community with God and one another. As Church then, we must be faithful people for God, with God, and in God – witnessing our faith in sync with the labor of the Father, through the Son, with the Holy, and living our lives as church community making disciples and proclaiming our faith.

    Remember “the community is the bearer of God’s Salvation”. Salvation thus happens in the context of the church, faith-community, and not of individuals. We are God’s own chosen People, not chosen individual. We all are to be in covenant, in communion and in community with Him and His church. With the Holy Trinity & church, we are strong and inspired. Without and apart from the Holy Trinity & church, we are weak and dispirited.  

    May we, as God’s own, not be isolated & separated from the Holy Trinity and God’s church, but instead always be connected and involved with God’s life and labors of salvation for all nations and peoples, most especially during these new normal periods.

    So may it be. Kabay pa. Amen.