Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Liturgical Year C

  • HOPE? Only If & When….

    HOPE? Only If & When….

    March 23, 2025 – Third Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032325-YearC.cfm)

    How do we make sense of a lot of things going on with our lives nowadays? Still adjusting from the life-threatening COVID pandemic, we are also now amidst violence, terrorism, disasters, and killings along with the imminent threat of world war, oil price hike, dwindling geo & national politics. On the jubilee year of Hope, as pilgrims of hope amidst challenging life-situations, we also ponder & discern the question: “Is there and can we still HOPE in life?

    As some people reported to Jesus about disasters and killings happened to Galileans in our gospel today, the central issue raised is also about Hope in life. “Can we still hope for God’s salvation? Is there still a hope and meaning in life now & ahead?” Sometimes with a lot of miseries happening in our world today, like calamities, wars, poverty, disasters, exploitation, corruptions, electioneering and injustices, we do find life at times hopeless and meaningless.

    This reminds me of a story about a beggar who had a rice bowl to beg. Every time he asks for some food or money from others, he would just stick out his rice bowl and beg for something. At times, he is too ashamed to beg – he cannot even look at them at the eyes. But many at times, he could be too rude to force others to give him some scraps of food or some coins.

    Like other beggars, he dreams that someday he will become a millionaire. But he knows that such dream is impossible and just a wishful thinking because he got nothing but a mere dirty battered rice bowl he inherited from his family of beggars. Sometimes he would blame God for his life’s misery. He considers himself a hopeless and useless case.

    One day, while begging, a merchant noticed his rice bowl and asked if he could have a look at it. The merchant then examined his rice bowl and concluded, “You must be stupid begging for  scraps. You should not be asking for others help because you are one of the most fortunate persons in the city. This rice bowl of yours is a priceless antique made of pure GOLD. Just wash it clean and it will cost you a fortune. Why don’t you sell it to me? I could give you five million dollars for it.”

    But the beggar just laughed off what he heard from the merchant. He simply could not believe that his useless rice bowl is worth a fortune. He dismissed everything the merchant said and continued to beg for some food or money using his dirty battered but priceless golden antique rice bowl. What a waste. What a shame.

    Sometimes, we are like that beggar. God has already given us a lot of His graces. He almost gave up everything for us – His life, His love, His salvation, His only Son. God has already endowed each and everyone of us enough of His blessings. He has given us not only a chance but a lot of chances to live life, and a golden rice bowl of faith in Him.

    But like that beggar, we rarely recognize God’s precious gifts to us. We rarely recognize our Faith. Sometimes we are not contented with our simple faith. Instead, we look for signs. We look for other substitutes. We beg for other scraps of beliefs. We dream for miracles but in vain. Then, we find life useless, and get hopeless with life.

    Like in our gospel however, as the gardener assured his master that there is always a hope for a dry fig tree to bear fruits again – only if and when given a chance, Jesus also reassures us that there is always hope in life, if & when we change our ways. Jesus in our gospel today reminds us that God has given each and everyone of us a chance to live life to its fullness.

    He calls us to see all life miseries are not signs of a vengeful God, but a constant wake up call & pruning for us to repentance, conversion and Christian life. For Him, there is still hope for those who repent and believe in the Gospel – for those who cleans up their golden bowl of our Christian faith.

    We began the Lenten season last Ash Wednesday, with the words: “Repent and Believe in the Gospel.” It simply means that the season of Lent is the time for us not only to prepare ourselves for the Easter but also to examine and purify our rice bowl of faith, and then to recognize and accept the preciousness, fortune, and chance it brings. In other words, there is hope only if and when we repent, we change our ways and believe in the Gospel – in the good news, in our golden bowl of chance to live God has already given & blessed us. Otherwise, there is no hope and meaning at all.

    Perhaps more than saying that “We are Filipinos for nothing”, more so we should believe & proclaim to ourselves & others that “We are Filipino Christians for nothing.”

    As we struggle with our life-journey nowadays during these trying times, help usO Lord to acknowledge & responsibly accept Your Gift of faith in us, for us to discover meaning, hope, strength, & direction through the life-challenges ahead of us.

    So be it. Amen.

  • SYSTEM UPDATE

    SYSTEM UPDATE

    March 16, 2025 – Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031625.cfm)

    What is the best thing to do if & when we get lost our way?

    The best way to do if & when we are lost is to first stop our journey, and look for some higher grounds, so that we may know and see where we are, where we have been, where we want to go and the best way or path to take. Meaning, we have to stop first then climb a high place – a hill, mountain or a tree, so that from there we get a much wider perspective of our journey and travel.

    Losing our way may also reflect our experience of life. There are times in our lives that we feel lost & confused in all our endeavors and dreams. Because of this, like being and getting lost in the forest, it is easy for us to feel tired, dry, afraid, anxious and hopeless in life to reach and achieve our aspirations, hopes and dreams in life.

    Our gospel today narrates us the Transfiguration of the Lord. We hear Jesus brought his apostles to Mt. Tabor so that they would witness the glory of God revealed before them. After they have followed the Lord in his preaching and ministry in many towns and villages, the apostles have now experienced weariness and exhaustion in their journey, even to the point others have cast doubt in the Lord’s person and authority.

    For them to be inspired (to be in-spirit) and encourage once again, Jesus brought then to mountain of Tabor to have a preview or prelude of God’s glory so that they themselves taste and witness God’s glory made manifest in Jesus Himself. And then, they hear & encounter anew for themselves the call & challenge from God to listen and have faith in Jesus, his beloved Son.

    Sometimes in life, we need to stop for awhile from all our endeavors and aspirations, and then, climb the Lord’s mountain in order for us to view a much wider perspective in life and our journey. Like in our modern lingo of cellphones, we need a higher ground to get a good signal; sometimes we need to climb the mountain with the Lord for us to get a good and strong signal of God’s presence and love.

    We call this nowadays as RETREAT with the Lord – a time in our life where we stop or slowdown from all our plans, aspirations and activities in life, spend some time to distance from our usual routine and look and climb for a high place in order to get a wider perspective of our life. Time and place to ask ourselves: “where am I now in relation to my life, dreams, aspirations and commitments? Am I lost or in the right path? What else should be done? What need to be change?”

    Retreat would also mean to treat ourselves again & anew to God’s vision of life-glory. In other word, to take care & nourish ourselves anew to the vision & fervor of God’s glory. And above all, in the Lord’s transfiguration & our retreat moments, we are challenged also to be “transfigured”, i.e in our modern-tech language, to do “system update” for us to be in sync, upgraded, & outfitted with the current plans of God for our redemption.

    As we follow the Lord, as Christian, it is healthy then for us to sometimes to retreat & be transfigured, i.e., to stop and climb up on a higher ground with the Lord in order to have a wider perspective of life, to witness God’s presence revealed in Christ, and to  hear again God’s call to us “This is my Son, the beloved. Listen to Him”, and so be updated & challenged anew of our vocation to follow Him.

    As our way of doing a retreat with the Lord these days, may our Lenten discipline of prayer, fasting & almsgivings bring us to a much deeper spiritual updating and growth in our Christian faith & journey now & always.

    Amen.

  •      OVERCOMING TEMPTATIONS

         OVERCOMING TEMPTATIONS

    March 9, 2025 – First Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030925.cfm)

    What kind of temptations that we find ourselves struggling from? There could be small and simple temptations that may come and easy for us to overcome. Some are quite difficult to avoid when such a temptation is what we also desire.

    To name a few of common temptations may come in these forms. For example, students are tempted to watch their favorite TV series or play “Mobile Legends” with their friends rather than to study. As a consequence, a temptation to cheat during exams can be possible or super late submission of paper works. Workers or employees are sometimes tempted to steal from their company or employer, or place of work perhaps because of a need at home or because of a lavish lifestyle. This can also be true among business owners or employers who do not give just wages to their workers. Others would even treat their workers in an inhumane way. What they were after is merely profit.

    Among our political leaders, because of the prevailing culture of dishonesty and corruption, they could easily fall in the corrupt system of politics that instead of serving their constituents, then, they seek to amass wealth and protect their business interests. And because it is not easy to be an honest, a counter-culture and self-sacrificing public servant, it is a temptation to just “go with the flow” and join the band of corrupt officials – because confronting the powerful will mean persecution and pressure from the political-powers-that-be.

    On a personal level again, sometimes we are also tempted to be complacent, to stay in our “protected shells” or settle to what is only easy and comfortable because we do not want to be disturbed, we do not want to take an extra mile or refuse to take the risk. Sometimes we too are tempted to just go with the flow and to become passive in our relationships because we do not want to face our issues and refuse to admit what is wrong with us.

    Husbands or wives succumbed to the temptation to engage in extra-marital relationships perhaps because their married life has become cold. We, as sons and daughters, may be tempted to escape from home and seek for what is fun and entertaining outside because the home has become a source of boredom for us. Or we may also seek more attention outside our home or seek love and acceptance from other people because home has become a source of despair, condemnation, of pain and trauma. Others also yielded to alcohol and drug abuse or worst to commit suicide to forget or end their overwhelming problems.

    Until the very end of our life, we face temptations. And so, on this First Sunday of Lent, let us understand better our human tendency towards sin and how we can overcome temptations in life.

    In the biblical understanding, temptation means a “test” – that is of putting a person to a test. Temptation is also the urge or desire to engage into something which may result to a long-term consequence. It also makes us inclined to commit sin and thus, being away from the grace of God.

    If this is a test then, why would God bring us to the test? The common understanding in the bible is that, God tests His people to put them in situations that would reveal the quality and sincerity of their heart, faith and devotion. In trials, God strengthens our patience and hope, matures our faith and assures us of his love.

    Though God allows trial and suffering but it is the devil who brings suffering and pain. The devil’s intention is to bring us into hopelessness so that we give up on God. The devil tries to crush a person by putting so much pain and suffering. The devil deceives us to choose what is easy and what is naturally appealing to us, to make short cuts, and more reasons for giving up. The devil will discredit God’s love and mercy when we are in so much pain and confusion.

    This is what the Gospel brings us today. Jesus was alone in the desert but filled with the Spirit of God. Then, the devil came to tempt him in three different situations.

    The first temptation was to turn the stone into bread. Jesus by that time was starving. He was weak and so the devil used the weakness of Jesus to tempt him. This temptation was an offer to give in to the basic “human need.”  It was to respond immediately for one’s “self-satisfaction.” Yet, the Lord understood well that his mission is not to satisfy himself but to do the will of his Father. Thus, Jesus chose to be hungry so that He too will experience how to be hungry. Through his hunger, Jesus can fill our hunger not just for food but for love, for affection and for God.

    The second temptation was to worship the devil instead of the Lord God in exchange for all the kingdoms of the world with their riches and power. Jesus was poor and had no influence. The devil knew this and that’s why the devil offered Jesus riches, power and dominance. However, Jesus chose not to worship Satan, not to worship riches and wealth, not power and dominance over others, not control and influence or independence from his Father in heaven. Jesus chose to be powerless and vulnerable like the poor, the sick, the dying and oppressed.

    The third temptation was to test the goodness and fidelity of the Father to Jesus. Jesus was alone in the desert and had surely felt loneliness and abandonment. This experience was used by the devil to tempt Jesus to test his Father’s faithfulness. The devil knew that Jesus had become insecure of what lies ahead. Being human, the future is always uncertain. But then, Jesus did not give in to that temptation to make certain of his Father’s love. He showed the devil that there is no need for testing God’s goodness to be certain of it. He showed that true faith in the Lord God is to embrace trust and hope in the midst our uncertainties and doubts.

    All those things that the devil offered were actually not necessarily negative or evil. Satisfying ourselves, having riches and material possessions, and being certain of what lies ahead in life, are good in themselves.

    Yet, be aware of this. Such good things can become a trap of the devil to allure us and keep us preoccupied, anxious, doubtful, fearful and insecure. These good things may then, keep us away from the grace of peace that God gives us. That is why, when something preoccupies and makes us anxious other than loving God, then, it comes from the devil.

    Hence, our own hunger for attention, love and intimacy can become a trap when these are only directed for self-gratification. It happens when we immediately choose what is only comfortable and beneficial for ourselves without considering others or even at the expense of others. This leads us away from God.

    Something can also spring up from our desires to be self-sufficient, the desire to exercise power and dominance over others, or simply to be successful. However, when our possessions, gadgets, work, fame, career and ambition preoccupy our heart and mind, then, we allow the devil to work and control our life.

    Indeed, it feels so good to be served, to be self-sufficient, to have anything we need and want immediately. It feels good to be praised and be recognized because of the good things we did. It feels good to be able to exercise influence and power over the inferior ones.

    But, when all of these only serve the ego (self) and feed oneself, then, we begin to become corrupt. The desire to have more and gain more becomes addictive. We will tend to worship ourselves rather than God, the Giver of everything and the source of all riches.

    Moreover, our anxiety to be certain at everything about life can also become a great temptation. This anxiety can be very strong because when it controls our mind and heart then we begin to lose our peace of mind and become doubtful of God’s goodness. We will lose our self-confidence because we become fearful in making mistakes and taking risks. The temptation lies in our tendency to be masters of our own lives, to be independent from God. This will not surely bring us closer to God but in fact, we choose to be isolated from the grace of God.

    The Gospel tells us that Jesus was actually led by the Spirit of God into the desert to be tempted. And Jesus was victorious over the temptations because he chose life and hope not death. Jesus chose his Father in heaven rather than the devil. This is how Jesus chose us.

    And so, as we will all face temptations, let us also allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into our own deserts, to face our own struggles and difficulties. We are called not to escape from life but to face them with courage and faith. In this Season of Lent, we may discover and reaffirm God’s tremendous love and forgiveness for us. Hinaut pa.

  • WHY DO WE QUICKLY JUDGE OTHERS?

    WHY DO WE QUICKLY JUDGE OTHERS?

    March 2, 2025 – Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030225.cfm)

    Do we often find ourselves judging quickly others or to speak ill of someone?  Is it easy for us then, to find faults and ugly things when we are with others? Does our speech express bitterness as we describe others?

    Judging others is actually natural to us. It is our way of assessing possible threats. We use it to create social order and hierarchy. It also helps reinforce our own beliefs and values.[1]

    Yet, when we find ourselves having such tendencies, we might also easily fall towards self-righteousness and superiority. When we only focus on what is wrong and ugly in everything and everyone, we become more inclined to complain. We accuse and blurt out the faults and failures of others. This behavior creates a lot of toxicities and negativity in our relationships.

    We may be unaware of the poisonous attitude we bring. We could believe and think that we have the best ideas and solutions. We might also think we have the best personality and attitude. Yet, we become a person who is very difficult to deal with. We are difficult to please and in need of constant affirmation.

    On this Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Lord calls to pinpoint such tendencies in us. This is for our own growth as a Christian Community. Let us discern together the invitations in our liturgical readings this Sunday. They concern the intentions behind the words we speak.

    In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus wanted his disciples to realize the danger of self-righteousness. This leads to bitterness, discontentment and insecurity. We need to recognize our own faults and sinfulness. We should not undermine them by finding the fault of others.

    Jesus addressed the Pharisees and Scribes who seemed to be so righteous, yet, sick and sinful inside. Jesus compared them to blind men leading the blind. They noticed the splinters in other people but were blind to the beams in front of their own eyes. Jesus called them hypocrites.

    This was clear at how these people would always notice even the minutest details of the defects of others. They were filled with complaints and biases against others. These people’s malicious words consistently attacked Jesus and his disciples. Their words revealed their evil intentions.

    In fact, the First Reading from the Book of Sirach reminds us of the image. It says, “when a sieve is shaken, the husks appear, so do one’s fault’s when one speaks.” When we speak and use words that destroy others’ reputation, we reveal that we have a sick and rotten heart. Words that degrade and hurt others also show this. Similarly, words that only curse and bring insult to others reveal the evil in us.

    Jesus captures this in his words, “an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil.” Let us be mindful then of things that we nurture in our heart because these are manifested in what we speak.

    Moreover, to pinpoint the wrong or the faults of others is not entirely wrong. It is also our moral responsibility to express what is not good. Indeed, there is  wisdom and goodness in criticism in itself.

    We remind ourselves also of these two kinds of criticism. There is a constructive criticism and destructive criticism.

    A constructive criticism seeks the good of my brother and sister. In this criticism, we do not seek to bring insult to the person but to help the person grow and learn from mistakes and failures. It gives both positive and negative feedback. This is done with honesty and sincerity from our part.

    On the other hand, destructive criticism is hateful and malicious because it desires damage to my brother and sister. It is destructive because it puts down and humiliates the person and has no desire to help the person to grow and learn. Further, it is a mere accusation filled with bitterness and hate. In the words of Pope Francis, when we tend to destructively criticize and simply accuse others, then, we are friends of the devil because the devil is the Great Accuser. Thus, this is done with evil intent. We commonly do this when we talk behind to speak ill about the person in initiating, perpetrating and joining others to destroy the image of my brother or sister.

    Jesus does not want us to be that bitter and hateful accusers. Jesus desires that each of us becomes free. We achieve this freedom by being capable of recognizing our sins. This recognition makes the transformation of hearts possible. In this way we become a help to one another, so that as parents, leaders, mentors and authority figures, we will not be leading others blindly but with humility and willingness to be corrected, affirmed and challenged.

    As disciples of Jesus, he demands consistency in our words and actions, in the way we relate with others and with God, and in the way we look at ourselves.

    And so for this Sunday, these are your take-away.

    First, let us begin in recognizing our own “beams,” of our inconsistent words from our actions, our bitter and hateful words, our quick judgments and biases against others and other attitudes that make us hypocrites. Remember, when we choose to blind ourselves from these, then, there is a danger of making ourselves distant from God, from others and from our own reality.

    Second, avoid speaking ill of others, even in joining or perpetrating or encouraging others to do so. This makes our heart free from bitterness.

    Third, constructively correct others. Use words that uplift and motivate others to become better persons rather than being harsh and portraying ourselves to be superior. That’s again the attitude of a hypocrite.

    As we dare to look at ourselves and confront the evil within us, may we also find Christ most willing to embrace us. Hinaut pa.

          [1] Mike Robbins, “Why do we judge others?,” published on February 15, 2024,

    https://mike-robbins.com/the-gifts-of-judgment/#:~:text=We%20judge%20others%20as%20a,our%20own%20beliefs%20and%20values. (Accessed on February 26, 2025).

  • Convicted Judge

    Convicted Judge

    March 2, 2025 – Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030225.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 to be more a forgiven convict, than to be a convicted judge.

    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.

    In our life-difficulties, like during 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, make 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 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.