Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Liturgical Year C

  • Into Redemption

    Into Redemption

    March 13, 2022 – Second Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031322.cfm)

    Coming back from his desert experience, a holy man was once asked to describe his experience of God. People asked him, “Tell us, how does God look like? How do we recognize God?” But the holy man was so confused, for how can he express to them his experience of God from his heart. Is it possible to articulate to them his God experience in few words? So, he decided to teach them a simple prayer to describe his God experience in the desert, knowing also that this prayer is limited and incomplete. He hoped however that through this simple prayer, people may become more open to experience God for themselves. People then accepted such prayer readily, made it sacred and holy, teach and impose it on others, and preach it to other nations. Some even gave up their lives to spread this Prayer to other people.

    The holy man however was so concerned and eventually regretted his actions because many things have been done already to his simple yet incomplete prayer, except to help people experience and encounter God for themselves. He realized eventually that it would have been better if he did not speak at all but stayed silent, than give people a few words of prayer. 

    True enough, we do aspire to know and experience God. Like the people in our story, through prayer, we hope to encounter God’s presence in our lives. Since prayer is all about the meeting between God and man. Prayer is our chance to experience God in our own lives. Meaning, prayer is not only our spoken-words and actions-done to express our needs, wants and desires for God, but more so, prayer is our way & chance for God to reveal, make himself known, and be experienced by us.  

    Our readings today describe to us what Prayer really is. In our first reading, we come to learn that by listening to God’s will, Abram in prayer received God’s promise of salvation. In our gospel, by accompanying Jesus in prayer, the disciples witnessed and experienced God’s presence & glory. Meaning, in prayer we come to experience God, and it is our experience with Him – the meeting/encounter matters most than the methods and words we used. Words and the manner of praying are just then but helps or avenues towards experiencing God in prayer.

    But usually while praying, we become more concerned about the Hows (methods) – on what is the righteous thing to do or say for us to experience God, and like Martha, on what do we have to do or say before the Lord. Remember, however: What God say to us is more important that what we say to Him.” What God wants from us and for us is more important than what we want from Him. What God does to us is more important than what we do to Him. In others words, God’s presence and glory is more important than our presence and glory. Simply put, while praying, God’s agenda and business are more important than our own agenda and business.

    Like for instance, while praying the rosary, we find ourselves tired and sleepy or at sleep. And then we find ourselves guilty for losing track or not completing our rosary. Consider perhaps that God is more concerned with our tired souls than completing our rosary. While praying, God is more concern about taking care of our tired and weary souls than we finishing off our rosary. Or at times, while we are praying the Lord’s prayer, we distracted and bothered with the word: “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sinned against us” because we are reminded of people who have hurt and pained us, as well as of people we have hurt and pained. Consider perhaps that those hurtful memories are the very agenda and business God wants us to address at that very moment to be eventually forgiven and healed.    

    Prayer and praying usually lead us into quiet and silence of our heart, eventually for us to become more open to God’s agenda and business as well as God’s presence. Abram in our first reading and the disciples during the Lord’s transfiguration experienced God’s glory and became sensitive to God’s will because they prayed in silence and open enough to be changed by God’s agenda and business for them.

    This Lenten Season, the Holy Church calls us to pray. And in the many ways and words we pray, be reminded that these prayers are just ways and means, but great help and aid for us to experience for ourselves God’s presence and will for us these days. Through our silent prayerful listening anew to God’s word & agenda for us these days is our sure path into our redemption towards God’s glory. As we respond readily to our Father’s call: to “Listen to His beloved Son” may we be, through our prayer and in praying more open and sensitive to experience God’s presence and revelations – greater and better things God in store for us in life ahead. Amen.

  • Into Temptation

    Into Temptation

    March 6, 2022 – First Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030622.cfm)

    Three men and an elderly priest had once a discussion. The priest asked: “supposing a corrupt politician approaches you, gives you lots of money and promises to grant you more favors if you vote and support him in the coming election, what would you do?” Replied by the first man, “I will return him the bribe-money”. The priest told him, “You, stupid fool”. Then the second replied, “I will take the bribe-money. I will keep it in my pocket. Surely, I will not waste such fortune”. But the priest replied, “You, shrewd crook”. And the last man said, “I really don’t know what to do? Will I overcome my evil inclinations? Or will my evil inclinations overpower me to claim what is not mine and to do what should not be done? I really don’t know. But if God will bless me and strengthen me to go against all my evil inclinations, I will return the bribe-money back to the corrupt politician.” The priest then said, “You are right, and you are a wise man.”

    Why? The priest called the first man stupid fool because he doesn’t know himself. He believes that he is too strong to resist temptations in life. No men, by himself, have ever overcome temptations in life. Usually, temptations overcome us not because we are weak but because we are too proud to think that we are strong enough to overcome temptations. The second man was a shrewd crook because he is willing to claim what he does not own, and to do wrongdoing, without any qualms whatsoever. For such kind of men, temptations are opportunities for them to take advantage of others for their own benefits. The priest praised the third as good and wise man because he knows that like all of us, we are basically weak people. He hopes that in the midst of temptations, he will be strong enough to do what is right. But he also knows that he can only do this with God’s help and strength, and he is most willing to ask and pray for it. He knows that in dealing with life-temptations, there is always a struggle within as well as reliance and faith in God’s help. 

    We can say the temptations Jesus experienced in our gospel are still very much present and true in own lives today. To live in humanistic and materialistic life, to strive for our own self-glorification and not for God’s glory, and to worship not God, but worldly power and honor are still very present and true in our lives today anywhere, both at home and abroad.

    Surely the migrant workers and their family today can attest to the reality and experience of temptations, struggles and reliance on God within themselves and their own family. They know the better and the worst realities and effects of how to live within the context of a Christian migrant family. Yes, our ability today to live and work abroad either as migrant or worker presents us great opportunities to make and build up our lives. But it also presents us great temptations to break and destroy our lives. Wherever we are, whether we are at home or abroad, we confront the same temptations and struggles as well as we need to rely and trust on God’s strength and power.  

    And how do we act in respond into our experiences of temptations in life? Like the stupid fool, we could resist & reject. Or like the shrewd crook, we could give in to it. Or like the wise man, we could struggle in faith with temptations & evils in life.

    It is easy for us indeed to fall into temptations. The biggest problem in struggling with temptations is our lack of self-knowledge, our lack of recognizing and overcoming the evil within ourselves. We struggle with the evils of others and in our society but the toughest struggle is to acknowledge and overcome the evil within our own selves – the evil within our own hearts. We were born with conflicting goodness and evil within. That is why we can be good and can do good… but not easily, since there are always tensions and struggles within ourselves. Moreover, we can only withstand these difficulties, if we are wise enough to rely and have faith not only in our own strength but in God’s help and power.

    Like the stupid fool, if we think we can overcome these life-temptations and evils only by and through own strength and power, we are surely wrong and are doomed to failure for we don’t have the power and capacity to resist temptations. But like the wise man & Jesus, if we are wise enough to acknowledge and ask for, and have faith on God’s help and strength, we surely can overcome evils and temptations in others as well as within ourselves; – hoping not to be a shrewd crook falling into temptations.

    St. Augustine is wise enough to say, “Through temptations, we come to know ourselves. We cannot receive the crown of salvation if there is no victory. And there is no victory if there is no struggle. And there is no struggle if there are no enemies and the bearers of these temptations.” This means that we can bring about salvation through and as we struggle with life-temptations and we recognize that human as we are, we are weak, but in faith with God, we are strong enough.

    With our Lord in our struggle with life-temptations & trials, we pray most especially during these trying times of pandemic, threats of war & political division: “Lead us not into temptations”

    So be it. Hinaut pa unta. Kabay pa. Siya Nawa. Amen.

    (P.S. Fr. Mario Masangcay, CSsR is a Filipino Redemptorist Missionary who worked with & for our Filipino Migrant Families and Workers in Gwangju Archdiocese in South Korea.)

  • Fasting

    Fasting

    March 4, 2022 – Friday after Ash Wednesday

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030422.cfm)

    Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence from meat. Though not obliged but encouraged for below 18 & above 60 years old faithful, Catholics during Lent practice abstinence from meat during Fridays of Lent.

    We should understand that fasting is not only our penance – our way to be repentant for our sins and be reconciled with God, but most of all, fasting is our way & chance to help those who are in need and hungry. St. Augustine once said: “Don’t think that fasting is enough. Yes, fasting may be a form of penance but it will not save our neighbors. Righteous is your fasting and abstinence if it helps the needs of others. How many poor hungry people be satisfied by the food you fasted and abstained today?”

    Image from http://www.self.com

    Meaning, fasting is not for our personal gains but for the salvation of others. Our bishops even remind us that it is poverty, not politics is the greatest problem in our country today. Whatever savings, then we have acquired from our fasting during Lent & during Friday abstinence from meat could and should be our contribution and extended help to those who are in need. In this way, Lent would be real sacrifice for it would personally and deeply affect our stomachs and pockets.

    Our Lenten practices of fasting, prayer, and charitable works during this season then are not for our sake but for the sake of other than ourselves.

    We hope and pray then that the food we fast and the things we abstain from having within this season be converted and become rice, clothing, and food for our poor and hungry neighbors, especially during these trying pandemic times.

    So be it.

  • Ash Wednesday (Mercy)

    Ash Wednesday (Mercy)

    March 2, 2022 – Ash Wednesday

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030222.cfm)

    MERCY. Lenten is all about Mercy. As we begin the season of Lent today, better for us to have a good understanding of God’s mercy being continuously offered to us.

    Often, we think of Lent with dread because we often associate it with giving up something. “I have to give something up” we habitually reflect during these times. But giving up something during Lent is more than just about self-denial, self-discipline, and imposition of burden. Giving up something, (that is, by praying, fasting, doing works of mercy) is an invitation to God’s mercy. It is about entering & experiencing God’s mercy once again & anew on a much deeper & intimate level.

    We observe Lenten discipline of prayer, fasting & works of mercy by giving up something so that we may experience once anew God’s love and mercy into our lives.  Lent, we remember is all about receiving, benefitting from & sharing with others God’s mercy rather than just giving up something through self-denial, self-discipline, or imposing burden to oneself & others. In other words, Lent is our chance & our way to be silently, personally & closely intimate with our loving & merciful God once again & anew.

    As we receive the ashes today, we are challenged to “Repent & Believe in the Gospel”. This is a constant invitation for us to renew our faith-relationship with God, by changing & updating our normal ways, and be open once again to receive God’s ways & will for us now so that we may experience God’s mercy anew. Experiencing God’s mercy again with our Lenten discipline & renewal of faith.

    “Lord, Have Mercy”. Perhaps this should be our prayer these times as we do need now His mercy especially during these pandemic times, imminent-threat of war & division during election campaign. Let this be our prayer during this Lenten season:

    Ginoo, Maluoy ka sa Amon. Ginoo, Kaloy-I kami. Panginoon, Maawa ka sa Amin. Chunim, chabirol bepososo. Kyrie, Eleison. Lord, Have Mercy.

  • Convicted Judge

    Convicted Judge

    February 27, 2022 – 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022722.cfm)

    Once in a monastery, the whole community of monks gathered together for a meeting in order to give their final judgment on a particular monk who made a mistake. Each one of them expresses their own different opinions and verdict on the monk on-trial. They even have some conflicting opinions as to what would be the proper verdict for the monk on-trial,…while Bro. Felix, the oldest of them all remained silent. When they finally asked for his opinion, Bro. Felix quietly came forward with a sack and a basket, and filled both with sands. They were all shocked and asked Bro. Felix to explain himself. Bro. Felix finally say: “This sack of sands are my sins, which are full and heavy. I carry this on my back so that I could not see, be mindful and be sorry about my own sins and mistakes I am guilty of. While this basket of sands are the mistakes of our brother on-trial in front of us so that I could easily see, condemn, and judge him. But this is not right and just. Better for me to carry and mind my own mistakes and ask the Lord’s pardon, mercy and forgiveness than to mind and judge the mistakes of others.” Eventually all came to realize their own sins and mistakes in life, and became forgiving to their brother on-trial as they also needing God’s mercy and forgiveness.

    Try more not be a convicted judge but rather be a forgiven convict.

    Why is it that it is easy for us to see the shortcomings and limitations of others, but we are blind in seeing our own wrongdoings? Usually, it is easy for us to blame others than ourselves. Easy for us to criticize the faults of others. Not difficult for us to look for the sins and dirt of others, but only ourselves to blame. Like in our life-difficulties, like during pandemic times or even election campaign period, easy for us to blame others and say, “Because of my parents… our leaders… our government… our church.” We are however blinded or hard for us to accept that we are part of the problem because we don’t care and take responsibility of our own actions for the common good of our community and our country. Easy also for us to elect corrupt popular politicians and leaders as we allow ourselves to be deceived by their promises and to sell our own rights to vote. Blaming, Judging, and condemning others than ourselves, makes us unconscious and blind of our own mistakes and accountability.

    Our gospel today reminds us of the song “Lupa” of Rico Puno, “Bago mo linisin ang dungis ng iyong kapwa, hugasan mo ang putik sa mukha”. (Before you clean the dirt on other’s face, wash the clay in your face first.) As Jesus would say “Remove first the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye. This is the advice and direction Jesus have given us all His disciples. These are His words and message not only for others but for all of us, you and I, as His disciples.

    True indeed, as Christians, we are challenged to preach and share the Good News of Jesus to all people. But these Good News are not only for others or all who have not heard of Jesus, but moreso, onto ourselves who are already believers of Christ. God’s word is intended for the salvation and transformation of all people, but above all for ourselves who are Christians, His followers. Meaning, we have first to practice what we preach, live what we believe God’s words and messages in our own lives, before and so that we can proclaim and share it to others. Good News is thus Jesus’ message if and when we practice and live its command in our own lives rather than using it as a standard in judging others. As PCP II reminds us that for us to be Filipino Christians today is to re-tell (tell again & again) the Jesus story into ourselves so that we can proclaim Jesus Christ with authority to others.

    In other words, “Kung gusto mo ng pagbabago, simulan mo sa sarili mo.” If you want change in life, begin with yourselves. Thus, have a good look at yourselves first before judging, condemning and blaming others. Remember, never is it the intention of Jesus to preach us the Good News of God’s salvation to mind and judge others & ourselves but to change ourselves for the better.

    In tune with examples and message of our Lord Jesus Christ, may His Gospel first reign in our hearts us so that we may become worthy to be called followers and disciples of Christ and proclaimers of His Good News of salvation, and thus, less becoming judging & condemning of others. So Be it. Amen.