Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Ordinary Time

  • If we have Jesus in us, then, we are agents of peace and healing

    If we have Jesus in us, then, we are agents of peace and healing

    July 7, 2019 – 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    From the Book of Isaiah (66:10-14C)

    Thus says the LORD:
    Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her,
    all you who love her;
    exult, exult with her,
    all you who were mourning over her!
    Oh, that you may suck fully
    of the milk of her comfort,
    that you may nurse with delight
    at her abundant breasts!
    For thus says the LORD:
    Lo, I will spread prosperity over Jerusalem like a river,
    and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent.
    As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms,
    and fondled in her lap;
    as a mother comforts her child,
    so will I comfort you;
    in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.When you see this, your heart shall rejoice
    and your bodies flourish like the grass;
    the LORD’s power shall be known to his servants.

     

    Responsorial Psalm        PS 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20

    R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
    Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
    sing praise to the glory of his name;
    proclaim his glorious praise.
    Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
    “Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
    sing praise to your name!”
    Come and see the works of God,
    his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
    He has changed the sea into dry land;
    through the river they passed on foot;
    therefore let us rejoice in him.
    He rules by his might forever.
    Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
    what he has done for me.
    Blessed be God who refused me not
    my prayer or his kindness!

    From the Letter of Paul to the Galatians (6:14-18)

    Brothers and sisters:
    May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
    through which the world has been crucified to me,
    and I to the world.
    For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision,
    but only a new creation.
    Peace and mercy be to all who follow this rule
    and to the Israel of God.From now on, let no one make troubles for me;
    for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body.The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit,
    brothers and sisters. Amen.

    From the Gospel of Luke (10:1-9)

    At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others
    whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
    to every town and place he intended to visit.
    He said to them,
    “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
    so ask the master of the harvest
    to send out laborers for his harvest.
    Go on your way;
    behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
    Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
    and greet no one along the way.
    Into whatever house you enter, first say,
    ‘Peace to this household.’
    If a peaceful person lives there,
    your peace will rest on him;
    but if not, it will return to you.
    Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
    for the laborer deserves his payment.
    Do not move about from one house to another.
    Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
    eat what is set before you,
    cure the sick in it and say to them,
    ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”

     

    Homily

    Do you also desire peace and prosperity for your family and for our community? I am sure that each of us desire this kind of life. With all the troubles that we experience in life such as personal problems, failures and struggles; family demands, conflicts and grudges; and crimes, disasters and corruption in the community, we want peace. If only we have peace within ourselves, in our families and communities, then, our life would be very different.

    Such promise of peace and abundance had been prophesied by Isaiah. We have heard it from the first reading on how Isaiah had seen the day when Jerusalem will be comforted with peace and prosperity. The people of Israel agonized much from oppression and slavery. Wars had been waged left and right and the people suffered greatly from these devastations.

    Yet, God is not blind of this suffering. In God’s goodness, peace and prosperity will be upon his suffering people. That is why, the message of Isaiah is, “rejoice and be glad.” God will see to it that He will comfort the grieving and suffering people. God’s comfort will surely bring joy, peace and satisfaction.

    Similarly, Paul in his letter to the Galatians also expressed his experience of peace and confidence in Jesus. Despite the many trials that he underwent, Paul found peace and confidence in Jesus. Even the conflicts within Christian communities will never destroy the peace that he received from the cross of Jesus which he was boasting about. Nothing will trouble Paul because he has Jesus with him.

    In that cross of Jesus, Paul experienced tremendous love and forgiveness. Because of this, Paul also found his true self and became a witness of Jesus. This moved Paul to preach the Gospel, and in fact, to preach to others the peace and confidence that he received from Jesus.

    Moreover, Jesus sent 72 people in pairs to bring peace to the homes that they will visit. Jesus is aware that homes are in need of peace. Even though that the 72 went ahead of him to prepare the people of his coming, yet, the peace that they were giving to the people was Jesus himself.

    This is the promise fulfilled in Jesus as what has been prophesied by Isaiah. Jesus is the peace, the comfort and the confidence that God has promised. This peace brings openness to God’s friendship and healing.

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    But notice also, Jesus employed the help of his disciples to bring peace to whatever house they enter. This tells us now that preaching and being a witness of Jesus is not just limited to the close group of the 12 apostles. This means that everyone of us is being sent by the Lord to preach and bring peace and healing to wherever we shall go.

    Indeed, the promise of peace, confidence and prosperity are not fulfilled outside of us but, through us and within us. The confidence and peace that Paul was telling about was not an outside experience, but rather, Paul himself experienced it personally. It is through his personal encounter with the risen Jesus.

    The 72 people were able to bring peace to many homes, not because of an outside influence but coming from their personal relationship with Jesus. The presence of Jesus in their life allowed them to be agents of peace and healing.

    This is the invitation for us this Sunday. Jesus calls us and sends us to be part of that fulfillment of the promise of peace and abundance in our families and communities. The Lord, certainly, fulfills his promise through us and with us. Peace is achieved not outside of us. Confidence is attained not apart from us. This tells us again that God’s wonders are made through us.

    That is why, God desires that we become part in working wonderful things. This involved in bringing peace and healing to our troubled and wounded homes, relationships and communities. Jesus reminds us too that being part of God’s work, let not material things trouble us. Paul also did the same thing. He did not allow anyone and anything to trouble him and remove him from the peace that he experienced from Jesus.

    Let us not allow our complains and anger, hate and bitterness and even our insecurities to steal from us the peace that Jesus has given to us. Let us rather allow the joy of having Jesus in our life to empower us in bringing peace and healing. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • Jesus brings change in us to renew us and restore us

    Jesus brings change in us to renew us and restore us

    July 6, 2019 – Saturday 13th Week in Ordinary Time

    From the Gospel Matthew (9:14-17)

    The disciples of John approached Jesus and said,
    “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much,
    but your disciples do not fast?”
    Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn
    as long as the bridegroom is with them?
    The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
    and then they will fast.
    No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth,
    for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse.
    People do not put new wine into old wineskins.
    Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined.
    Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
    The Gospel of the Lord.

     

    Homily

    Who would not want security and certainty? We want these. In our effort to attain security and assurance for today and of what lies ahead, we make things in a routine that we become familiar and comfortable with. This is the reason why we also settle and become comfortable with traditions. We do familiar things, meet familiar people and create familiar events because we have been doing them in the past. In the same way, we also form habitual activities and attitudes.

    However, when we become so absorbed and concerned in doing, thinking, seeing and feeling with what is only familiar, then, there is a danger that we might also resist any changes and to be surprised with what is new. And because we are comfortable of the things of the past, we might believe that invitations of change are threats to our security and to certainty.

    With this kind of attitude towards change and new things, we also become rigid, close-minded and unwelcoming to what is new and unfamiliar to us. But then, God’s invitation to us is always new and is geared towards change and transformation of our heart and mind, our total person.

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    Jesus tells the people that “no one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth, for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse and neither people put new wine into old wineskins, otherwise the skins will burst, the wine spills out and the skins are ruined. But rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

    Jesus is actually inviting us to welcome what is new and unfamiliar to us and also to be surprised by God. This is what he means to the disciples of John the Baptist who wondered why they were not following the old practices of the Jews. Jesus was not making an excuse for not doing the old tradition. Jesus wants them to realize that there is greater than the old tradition and that was Him.

    The Spirit of God brings freshness in us and His invitations may become uncomfortable for us because God inspires change and renewal. Indeed, Jesus calls us to be willing and welcoming to his surprises and invitations of change because he wants us to be renewed and be restored from our old, broken and sinful ways.

    Thus, we may reflect and discern also for ourselves, what are the old ways, beliefs and habits that I have formed which do not really help me but rather worsen my relationships with others and with God?

    Remember, when we also become welcoming of Jesus and his call for us, then, we also let God to surprise us. God’s surprise is surely always wonderful and brings life is us. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • Contaminate others, not with your sins, but with your friendship, kindness and mercy

    Contaminate others, not with your sins, but with your friendship, kindness and mercy

    July 5, 2019 – Friday 13th Week in Ordinary Time

    From the Gospel of Matthew (9:9-13)

    As Jesus passed by,
    he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.
    He said to him, “Follow me.”
    And he got up and followed him.
    While he was at table in his house,
    many tax collectors and sinners came
    and sat with Jesus and his disciples.
    The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,
    “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
    He heard this and said,
    “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
    Go and learn the meaning of the words,
    I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
    I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
    The Gospel of the Lord.
    Homily

    The Pharisees would have been so shocked and scandalized with what Jesus did. Our Gospel story today tells us of the call of Matthew, a Jewish tax-collector of the Romans. Matthew and Jews like him who worked for the Romans were despised by their fellow Jews. They were considered traitors because they were associated with the Roman Empire who dominated the Jews. Besides, there were tax-collectors too who would treat their fellow Jews badly and would collect high taxes. Their land was occupied by these foreigners and were forced to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor.

    The Jewish population and their religious leaders also considered these tax-collectors as public sinners. And since they were public sinners, they were barred from entering the temple and other religious activities of Judaism. They were considered non-religious, therefore, excommunicated by their fellow Jews.

    They were part of the cycle of oppression perpetrated by the Romans. Anyone who will befriend them or be associated with them was in danger of being contaminated by their sins. Once a person was thought to be contaminated by these tax-collector, then, the person will also be disowned by his/her fellow Jews. With this situation of the tax-collectors, they lived a life separate from their Jewish brothers and sisters.

    Yet, what was so shocking for the people and particularly to the Pharisees was on how Jesus crossed all the barriers of interaction with these public sinners. Jesus called Matthew to follow him and even dined with other tax-collectors and sinners. Jesus made them his friends.

    The Pharisees expected Jesus to condemn them. However, Jesus went the other way. He did not follow the conventional way of relating with these people. Consequently, Jesus surprised them by making a personal interaction with them and building a personal relationship with these sinners.

    But, was Jesus being contaminated by their sins? This was the fear of the Pharisees. That is why, they won’t dare relating and making these people their friends. The question of the Pharisees, “Why does your teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?” was not out of concern, but out of condemnation and hate. They wanted Jesus to hate them and condemn them and to further separate them from the community.

    Jesus was not contaminated by their sins, but rather, Jesus contaminated these people with his kindness, friendship and mercy. Jesus welcomed them and accepted them despite their sins. This was God’s way to bring healing and to invite these sinners into a better life. Jesus declares, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Showing mercy and concrete actions of love towards others is greater than a big amount of money to the temple.

    Jesus’ action was an invitation for these people to change and to be transformed in the way God desires it. It was God’s way of telling both the righteous and the sinners that God does not condemn but desires healing, reconciliation and fullness of life for all.

    Today, Jesus invites us that we learn, not from the Pharisees, but from him. Each of us is a sinner, and yet, Jesus chose to be with us and to make us his friends to give us fullness of life. Jesus set the example that a true Christian builds friendship and contaminates others with kindness and mercy.

    Just like the Pharisees, we might still have that idea of condemning our brothers and sisters who considered terrible sinners. Like them, we too might have that attitude of separating those people whom we consider as unclean for fear of being contaminated and be associated with them.

    Kindness, friendship and mercy are more contaminating than any sin and imperfection. Thus, like Jesus, contaminate people around you with your friendship, kindness and mercy. And we shall certainly see and experience that there is more life, healing and reconciliation in our families and communities when we build friendship, and show kindness and mercy rather than condemnation and hate with one another. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • It is our attachment to God that will bring healing, freedom and life

    It is our attachment to God that will bring healing, freedom and life

    July 4, 2019 – Thursday 13th Week in OT     

    Book of Genesis (22:1B-19)

    God put Abraham to the test.
    He called to him, “Abraham!”
    “Here I am,” he replied.
    Then God said: “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love,
    and go to the land of Moriah.
    There you shall offer him up as a burnt offering
    on a height that I will point out to you.”
    Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey,
    took with him his son Isaac, and two of his servants as well,
    and with the wood that he had cut for the burnt offering,
    set out for the place of which God had told him.

    On the third day Abraham got sight of the place from afar.
    Then he said to his servants: “Both of you stay here with the donkey,
    while the boy and I go on over yonder.
    We will worship and then come back to you.”
    Thereupon Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering
    and laid it on his son Isaac’s shoulders,
    while he himself carried the fire and the knife.
    As the two walked on together, Isaac spoke to his father Abraham:
    “Father!” he said.
    “Yes, son,” he replied.
    Isaac continued, “Here are the fire and the wood,
    but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”
    “Son,” Abraham answered,
    “God himself will provide the sheep for the burnt offering.”
    Then the two continued going forward.

    When they came to the place of which God had told him,
    Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it.
    Next he tied up his son Isaac,
    and put him on top of the wood on the altar.
    Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
    But the LORD’s messenger called to him from heaven,
    “Abraham, Abraham!”
    “Here I am,” he answered.
    “Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger.
    “Do not do the least thing to him.
    I know now how devoted you are to God,
    since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.”
    As Abraham looked about,
    he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket.
    So he went and took the ram
    and offered it up as a burnt offering in place of his son.
    Abraham named the site Yahweh-yireh;
    hence people now say, “On the mountain the LORD will see.”
    Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said:

    “I swear by myself, declares the LORD,
    that because you acted as you did
    in not withholding from me your beloved son,
    I will bless you abundantly
    and make your descendants as countless
    as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore;
    your descendants shall take possession
    of the gates of their enemies,
    and in your descendants all the nations of the earth
    shall find blessingBall this because you obeyed my command.”

    Abraham then returned to his servants,
    and they set out together for Beer-sheba,
    where Abraham made his home.

    Gospel of Matthew (9:1-8)

    After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town.
    And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher.
    When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
    “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”
    At that, some of the scribes said to themselves,
    “This man is blaspheming.”
    Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said,
    :Why do you harbor evil thoughts?
    Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
    or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
    But that you may know that the Son of Man
    has authority on earth to forgive sins”–
    he then said to the paralytic,
    “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
    He rose and went home.
    When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe
    and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

    Homily

    What if that something which you are so attached to is needed to be let go in order for you to grow? I remember when I was still a young boy, I was so attached with my baby bottle. I used that bottle until I was about 6 years old. However, I was asked to let it go and stop using it since I was already six and was about to start schooling. I wanted to start school with my friends but I found it very difficult to let go of my baby bottle. I was told that I could not bring it with me and the only way of going to school with my friends was to let go of that baby bottle.

    When we develop some forms of attachments, whatever that may be, we could become rigid, in the way that our attachments will only be the focus of our world. We would tend to limit ourselves from discovering more about ourselves and about others because we are already fixated to one or two. Thus, there is also a need for us to look at our attachments and fixations and to see if they are helpful or not in deepening our friendship with God and others.

    The Book of Genesis tells us that God tested Abraham’s faith. Abraham seemed to enjoy very much the company of his son, Isaac. He was a proud dad. He really loved his only son, Isaac. Isaac was the most precious gift he received from God. And we could imagine that Abraham was really so fond of Isaac. His world could have been so bright when Isaac came.

    Yet, God tested Abraham, but not to test him to commit murder or slaughter an innocent boy. God’s test to Abraham was God’s way of making Abraham to trust God fully and completely. This is the reason why God asked Abraham to sacrifice his most precious gift. Abraham’s affection for his son was his attachment.

    God wants Abraham to advance his faith and attachment to the will of God. And indeed, Abraham proved that his only attachment was God. By trusting fully the Lord, Abraham was even blessed by God. This was how Abraham also discovered the importance of his relationship with the Lord. This relationship brought him life and blessing.

    The Gospel also tells us of a story that portrays how attachment can make a person rigid and close-minded. The scribes in the Gospel story show how their attachment to human rituals, traditions and old beliefs can become a hindrance to healing and freedom. They have accused Jesus of blasphemy because he forgave the sins of the paralytic and healed him.

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    The attachment of the scribes to the status quo that only the elite such as them, the Pharisees and Jewish authorities have the right to teach and be close to God, prevented them to recognize that Jesus is Lord. Indeed, their attachment to their privileges and titles in the society averted them to be surprised on how God works wonders.

    Today, God invites us to let go of our attachments and fixations that only prevent us from growing in our relationships with God and with others and from knowing better ourselves.

    Our attachments to material things might prevent us from becoming more intimate with people who are dear to us. Our fixations with our achievements and successes may also stop us from being considerate with those who failed in life. Our attachments to some addictive behaviors may also prevent us in realizing our gifts and potentials. Remember, an unhealthy attachment is suffocating and restraining. It will not make us free and alive but rather constrained and dead.

    As Abraham found attachment in God’s friendship, he also found life and blessing. As Jesus found attachment in his Father’s will, he was able to bring freedom from sin and healing to the broken. We may also grow in our attachment to God who shall give us healing, freedom and true life. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

     

  • Awareness of Jesus’ presence brings us peace and confidence

    Awareness of Jesus’ presence brings us peace and confidence

    July 2, 2019 – Tuesday 13th Week in OT       

    Gospel     –      MT 8:23-27                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him.
    Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea,
    so that the boat was being swamped by waves;
    but he was asleep.
    They came and woke him, saying,
    “Lord, save us!  We are perishing!”
    He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”
    Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
    and there was great calm.
    The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this,
    whom even the winds and the sea obey?”

    “Why are you so afraid, you of little faith?” Jesus asked his disciples when they woke him up because they were terrified by the storm sweeping their boat.

    The Gospel story today tells us about this fear of the disciples. They were afraid that their boat might be destroyed and they would be drowned and die. However, there was a very interesting part of this Gospel story.

    While the storm was sweeping the boat and the disciples were terrified by it, Jesus was fast asleep. Jesus was there in the boat with his disciples but sleeping. It seemed that Jesus was not so concerned with the storm. He was confident that they would arrive at their destination safe and sound.

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    The Gospel today tells us of these two important lessons.

    First, the forgetfulness of the disciples that Jesus was with them brought them tremendous fear and anxiety. They forgot that Jesus was in the boat and that their Lord was with them on that journey. Consequently, they have actually taken for granted the very presence of Jesus in their life. This is an invitation for the disciples to always recognize the presence of Jesus.

    And to us as well today, this is an invitation to recognize Jesus in our journey. The Lord is not distant. He is to be found and He is journeying with us. Thus, unawareness of His presence in us will only bring us fear, anxiety and uncertainty. When we become fearful, anxious and uncertain, then, we will be paralyzed mentally and spiritually. It will be very difficult for us to move on and to find opportunities of growth because we will tend to focus on the storm rather on Jesus who is with us.

    Second, because of this terrifying situation of the disciples, it became an opportunity for Jesus to reveal Himself as Lord and Savior. At this revelation Jesus assured his disciples that his presence brings comfort and peace, calmness and confidence. At the same time, the Lord’s presence also is confronting. Jesus confronts the doubts and the little faith of his disciples. This is the reason why it was not only the wind and the sea that calmed down but also the terrified and anxious hearts of the disciples.

    This tells us now that the presence of Jesus brings assurance and confidence in us. The disciples calmed down and found peace because at last, they have recognized the presence of Jesus who was there in that boat.

    This invites us again to recognize the comforting and peaceful presence of Jesus in our life. Let us also allow Jesus to confront us especially our doubts and fears, and even our selfish, unkind and ungenerous actions and words. By being able to recognize Jesus and confront ourselves then we shall certainly find peace and calmness, confidence and assurance in Jesus. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR