Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Sunday Homlies

  • WE ARE SIGNS OF GOD

    WE ARE SIGNS OF GOD

    December 18, 2022 – Fourth Sunday of Advent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121822.cfm)

    Do you ask signs from God? Certainly, there are many of us who can relate well in asking the Lord to give us signs especially when we make big decisions in life. Even when we become desperate over life issues and concerns, we could ask signs from God to confirm our belief, to affirm ourselves. We ask signs so that the hope in us may continue to live.

    With this, allow me to dig deeper into our readings on this Fourth Sunday of Advent and let us see how God also reveals his signs to us and how God calls us today.

    The first reading from the Book of Prophet Isaiah is very interesting because what we have heard was that, it was the Lord who asked a man to ask for signs. Yes, the Lord spoke to Ahaz, the king of Judah to ask for a sign. However, Ahaz refused to ask for a sign. This was the King’s refusal to believe in God.

    Ahaz actually sold himself to the King of Assyria and became a puppet king. He trusted this foreign power who once defeated him in a battle to protect him from two other kingdoms who threatened his reign. Yet, his political alliance with Assyria was to the detriment of his own people. He turned away from God, desecrated the altar of the temple, worshipped foreign gods and murdered his own people as long as he shall remain king. He even burned his own son as a human sacrifice to the gods of Assyria in order to please the King.

    However, despite the refusal of Ahaz, the Lord spoke and promised for a sign. Yes, it turned out that God initiated to give a sign through a virgin who shall give birth to a son. He will be called Emmanuel, God-with-us. He is God’s greatest and most wonderful sign of the divine presence and love.

    This sign which God spoke had been realized through the annunciation of the angel to Mary. The Gospel of Matthew spoke about this today. However, God’s sign that was already conceived in the womb of Mary had been surrounded by scandal. It was scandalous that it must have brought the entire village to feast on a gossip that Mary betrayed Joseph, that Mary was a whore.

    The neighbors even the relatives of Mary must have suspected her for being adulterous. They must have passed harsh and hurtful judgments against Mary “without further investigation,” without knowing or caring about finding the truth. They must have wished and thought that Mary will be shamed, be dragged out of their village and be stoned to death.

    Well, even today, this is not far from our own experience. How many have suffered and traumatized by gossips filled with malice and insults? How many have we terrorized by maligning others only to cover our own guilt? This culture of gossip or using the popular online lingo called “MARITES” of a person who spend more time spreading malicious gossip against a neighbor, is perhaps no different from what Mary experienced. If Mary’s pregnancy happened today, what would people say, then? “Bigaon nga babaye!” Nagbusong nga indi man sang iya bana!” – and that is scandalous! (And when people hear judgment like this, many would just nod and laugh and not confront it to stop it.)

    I remember, when I was in high school, my older sister got pregnant out of wedlock. I would hear our neighbors saying something that demeaning to my sister. And that was terrible!

    Yet, in the midst of this scandal in the neighborhood, God intervened again and gave Joseph a sign. Joseph never thought to hurt Mary. That is why in his own way, he wanted to divorce Mary secretly so that Mary could join with the man who fathered her child. Joseph must have also thought that Mary got another man. In the midst of these, the Lord gave the sign through a dream. Joseph’s dream symbolically means “resting with God” – where we are most comfortable and peaceful in God’s presence. As Joseph was asleep, God revealed to him the divine plan.

    This was how Joseph understood the plan of God. And indeed, God’s sign was scandalous! Because God who is almighty, all powerful, who cannot be seen or touched, is to be born as human! Joseph began to see the scandalous situation of Mary’s pregnancy through the eyes of faith rather than his fear and disappointment.

    The scandal of God’s sign is imprinted in the name of Jesus, which means, God will save us from our sins. This is how Joseph also realized that the pregnancy of Mary is God’s greatest manifestation of love. That is why we have lighted the fourth candle of Advent, which is also called as the Candle of Love.

    How are we invited now on this last Sunday of Advent? There are two invitations on how we can become signs of God’s presence in our homes and communities, which I would like you to bring as your take-aways for today.

    First, BE A SIGN OF LIFE. Remember, even when Ahaz chose death for his own people, God promised of a birth of a child. That is life! Thus, in our relationships always choose life, nurture your life and the life of others, protect and defend life. Hence, reject also anything that will abuse life, traumatize life, suppress life, manipulate life and destroy life because that is not what God wants us.

    Second, BE A SIGN OF LOVE. The Emmanuel is the face of love. Jesus is love made flesh. May we always choose to love, because love is always right and it can never be wrong. But remember, it requires us great amount of commitment and sacrifices because to love can be so demanding. Mary who chose to love was subjected to ridicule and harsh judgments. Joseph who chose to love had been in great troubles in order to protect his family from danger.

    And so, be a sign of life and a sign of love. Ok lang? Sana all.

  • Response-ability

    Response-ability

    December 18, 2022 – Fourth Sunday of Advent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121822.cfm)

    Normal for any man to defend himself when being held accountable for the things he did not do. Normal for us to ask why and to demand justice for being held responsible for the actions we did not commit. Saan ang hustisya pag ako o tayo ay ipapanagut sa mga bagay na di naman natin ginawa? As today’s Filipino young people would say: #Nagmahal #Nasaktan #Pinapanagut (#Loved, #Hurt #Being Held Accountable for).

    In our gospel today, we hear the story of the birth of Jesus as experienced by Joseph. If we really come to think of it, Joseph’s experience of the birth of Jesus is a story of being Pinapanagut or being held accountable for something not-yours. Joseph’s experience of Jesus’ birth is also a story of “Nagmahal, Nasaktan, Pinapanagut”

    Obviously, Joseph Nagmahal (Joseph has loved). He loved his wife-to be Mary very much. He is willing to grow old and have a family with Mary. He is a just and righteous man who will do everything for his marriage and family to-be. But Joseph also Nasaktan. Joseph was also hurt by what happened. Who would not be hurt and pained when you just learned that your beloved is already pregnant before you lived together and the baby is not-yours? Ang sakittttttt. Can we blame Joseph for planning to quietly divorce Mary? We can easily relate with the broken-hearted Joseph. With such hurt and pain, others would even say: “Walang Forever” There is no such thing as forever.

    And worse, Joseph Pinapanagut. Joseph is being held responsible and accountable for all of these things. If it is hurtful and hurting to learn that your wife to-be is already pregnant of a baby who is not-yours, how much more if you are pinapanagut – being held accountable and responsible for the baby? If you are Joseph, are you willing to take responsibility? Are you ready and willing to take responsibility for the so-called “unwanted” child? Would you still love your “unfaithful” wife to-be who is now pregnant with a child not-yours?

    This is the story of Joseph as He experienced the birth of the Messiah. A story of being held accountable for something and someone not-yours. Nagmahal, nasaktan, pinapanagut sa hindi kanya. Loved, hurt, and being held responsible for something or someone not-yours.

    The story of Joseph is also the story of our salvation. As the Lord offers us His beloved Son into our lives, we are asked to be like Joseph, i.e. to be held responsible for God and others – someone and something not-ours. Pinapanagut tayo. Like Joseph, we are being held accountable for His Son Jesus, for the sake of God and others, and not for our own sake. Pinapaangkin sa atin ang Kanyang Anak – to accept His son as our very own. And in doing so, in taking responsibility for God, like Joseph, we will love and be hurt along the way, and will be held accountable for something or someone not-ours.

    Because, only by taking responsibility and be held accountable for Jesus like Joseph, God’s grace and salvation continues to prosper and fulfill into our lives today. Thus, God’s incarnation requires our Responsibility, (response-ability) our ability to response for God’s sake than ourselves.

    Here we have much to learn from Joseph himself. As he went through the difficult experience of being accountable for God’s Son, he always honors and only listens to God’s message to him. Despite his confusions, frustrations, and broken-heartedness, Joseph simply listens to God’s message, honors God’s will, and hopes on God’s promise of Emmanuel “God is with us”, being responsible and accountable for Him. By always honoring and listening to God’s will and message to us, we become more responsible for Emmanuel, God with us.

    Christmas is already near upon us. Actually the Lord has already came and arrived into our lives. But do we welcome Him into our lives? Do we follow Him and let Him change and influence our lives? Are we willing to be held responsible and accountable for Him, our God with us?

    The requirements of Advent for us to “Be awake & Be Prepared”, to “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand”, to “Go and Tell others what we have seen & heard” & to “Not be Afraid to take home” the Holy Family into our lives now are enough preparations for us to receive & celebrate once again & anew God’s blessings upon us now & forever.

    We pray then that like Joseph and Mary, we may be willing responsible and accountable people and parent for the Lord into our lives by always listening and responding to God’s message and will for us. Amen.

  • Look around and See how God surprises us

    Look around and See how God surprises us

    December 11, 2022 – Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121122.cfm)

    Recently, Bro. Karl Gaspar, CSsR, a confrere of mine was hospitalized for three weeks and was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit due to complications of his veins for his regular dialysis. When he got better and can finally able to move, he sent a message that somehow captured what he has been through in the past three weeks. And I would like to share with you his message and reflection that brings us deeper into this Season of Waiting, of Advent.

    “WAITING…the last 3 weeks in the hospital was waiting to breathe again, waiting to have drops of water down my throat, waiting for pain to subside, waiting for wounds to heal, waiting for the doctors to make the right decisions, waiting for visitors who never arrived due to protocols, waiting for prayers to be answered. These waiting hours certainly  help to understand the biblical meaning of keeping watch of the dark night to make truly appreciate the gift of light that shines on Christmas Day!”

    What Bro. Karl expressed would certainly tell us how waiting for something good to happen can become frustrating and even tiring. Yet, what Bro. Karl also shared speak to us that there are many things in our life that are not under our control. Thus, we wait for prayer to be answered and we hope that it would be the one we are hoping for.

    Just as what Bro. Karl shared, I am sure many could also relate well when we also face realities of waiting and hoping. We wait that we may be healed from our sickness. We wait that our relationships will be repaired. We wait that our anger and hatred may subside and be reconciled. We wait that the person we long for may at last come to us. We wait to be loved. We wait to be embraced and accepted. We wait that our problems and issues may be solved. We wait that our financial debt may be fully paid. We wait that our dreams may come true.

    However, there are also those who may wait longer than others. The longer we wait, the more we also lose our patience, our peace, hence, becoming anxious and disturbed. Frustrations and discouragements may come to us to the point that we could also feel that we are about to surrender. To stop fighting. To stop dreaming. To stop waiting. To stop hoping. And these are realities in our life.

    Indeed, when our suffering, anxiety and frustrations in life become overwhelming, others would succumb and stop at all. This is how we find ourselves become lifeless and passive, or when we allow our anger and hatred to consume us, or when we let our bitterness and guilt control us. This is how we also lose our focus and patience.

    For this reason, the Letter of James speaks to us today reminding us “to be patient.” James, in his wisdom employed the image of a farmer who waits for the precious fruit of the earth. James actually tells us that there is a process in everything. Like, healing is a process. Reconciliation is a process. Growth is a process. Building healthy relationship is a process.

    James affectionately tells us to trust the process of God and to trust his grace to work in us. This is how James also reminds us again “not to complain about one another that we may not judge.” He is basically telling us not to allow our bitterness and negativities to hold us back and to let us lose hope.

    This brings us now into the experience of the Hebrew people who for more than 700 years earlier from the time James wrote the letter, were being exiled and subjected to slavery. This is what we find in the Book of Prophet Isaiah. His prophecy was addressed to these Hebrew people who had been in such miserable and depressing life situation. The people were removed from their homeland and were exiled to Babylon. At that time of their captivity, the people had to walk approximately 1,700 miles or about 2,735 kilometers. The people believed that this happened to them because of their unfaithfulness and because their leaders turned away from Yahweh. And so the people longed to be rescued by God. Yet, the years and years that had passed and the suffering and slavery they had to endure had made them frustrated and discouraged. They felt abandoned. They lost their patience to wait. They felt hopeless. I am sure, they too have asked, “Will God come to save us? Will the Lord help us?”

    To give them hope, Isaiah appeared in their midst and proclaimed to them what the Lord promised. Isaiah proclaimed, “Be strong, fear not! Here is your God… he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing.” These are images of healing, reconciliation, restoration, freedom and fullness of life – as Isaiah also prophesied, “they will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.”

    And this is good news because what the prophet actually calls us is to have a reason to rejoice because God has come. This is the reason why on this Third Sunday of Advent we lighted the third candle in the advent wreath. That is the Candle of Joy that calls us to rejoice. In fact, today is called Gaudete Sunday, which means, “REJOICE!” Through the prophet, God speaks to his people telling them, “I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN YOU! AND I WILL NEVER ABANDON YOU!” The words in the first reading is God’s joyful promise to his people. God comes and we will surely rejoice.

    This is being reechoed in our Gospel today. John the Baptist who was in prison felt the same despair and disappointment. And we can sense this in his question for Jesus. John asked, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” John must be desperate because he too was suffering. He was surely brave yet, he too asked the Lord and needed a confirmation to give him hope. He had been preaching about the joyful coming of the Messiah who will come to bring justice in the world and uplift the poor and the oppressed.

    In response, Jesus told the disciples of John to go and tell John what they have heard and saw. Thus, Jesus says, “Look around you. Look at what’s happening – blind people see, lame people walk, deaf people hear, lepers are cleansed, dead people are raised to life, poor people for a change receive good news.” This is the true Messiah – the one who comes to alleviate suffering, to heal broken hearts, and to give hope to the hopeless.

    In recollection, how does Gaudete Sunday calls us now? The call to rejoice in the presence of our God is a call to look around us and to recognize how Jesus becomes more present in us and among us.

    Remember, Jesus becomes more present with us and in our lives when we Christians become more like him. This is how we are called today, which means that when we ourselves become healers and consolers of the afflicted, promoters of reconciliation, generous givers, advocates of justice and honesty, builders of the kingdom of God in our communities, spreaders to others that God has come and is our friend and become life-giving persons in our homes and workplaces, then, we become the presence of the Messiah today. This is truly good news! A reason to be joyful! Sana all. Kabay pa.

  • Eye & Ear-WITNESSES

    Eye & Ear-WITNESSES

    December 11, 2022 – Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121822.cfm)

    Once after Eucharist, a man approached me and asked for an advice. He said, “Father, my daughter is engaged to her boyfriend. But it seems that the guy’s family does not approve of their relationship because they have learned that I am now unemployed. They thought that I am lazy and irresponsible parent to my daughter. You see, Father, I am a retired seaman. I subsist now from my pension and time-deposit I’ve earned. I just wish to spend the rest of my life with my family after long years of absence from them. I really love my daughter and only wish for her happiness. Father, is it a sin to be unemployed, and enjoy my own family? What shall I do, then?”

    Like that man and John’s disciples in the gospel today, sometimes we become restless with life in anticipation for the Lord’s reign that we ask the practical question: “I believe that the Lord will come again, but what must I do, then?”

    Yes, we believe that God so loves us that he gave his only begotten Son for our salvation. He has been good to us and continually showers us His love and blessings. But as faith necessitates actions, “what is the right thing to do then? What does God require and demand of us then?”

    If we reflect deeper on our readings today, we see that like any parents, God desires nothing much from us but our happiness. He simply wished us our happiness in our relationship with Him. As what He said to restless disciples of John, “Go and report what you see and heard here,” meaning, Jesus wants us to see for ourselves and enjoy the great things happening and what God is doing here and now. As God shares to us His life and salvation, He does not ask for our heroic acts or sacrifices but our whole being to enjoy, savor, and share his love and work with others. God does not demand of us so-called “holy” extra-works of doing physical penances, or attending or organizing bible studies, miracle crusades, or prayer meetings. But rather, He simply requires us to be as best Christian as we can be, that is, to love Him and our neighbor, follow His precepts, celebrate liturgies in worship, share responsibilities with our fellowmen, and make them feel and realize that we are God’s people. For God, then, what matters most are not our sacrifices but our obedience, not commandments but our faith – a loving relationship with Him, through Jesus Christ.

    Basically, God simply invites us not to be heroes, martyrs, or saints. But like John the Baptist, and the farmer who joyfully anticipates for the fruits, Jesus wants us to be His living and willing witnesses of the revelation and unfolding of God’s work of salvation. In other words, He simply wants us to be Witnesses of God’s salvation here & now.

    For what is a Witness? Like a best man in a wedding ceremony, a witness is someone, who first, let God’s work of salvation to happen before his very eyes, not controlling or programming, but simply experiencing the event. Second, a witness is someone who let the event disturb, influence, and affect his life, for God’s work is good news to those who recognize accepts & believes his experience. And a witness is someone who stand for and share what he experiences and believes to others, for “Happy is the man who does not lose faith in me”.

    Through our faith-responses to God’s revelation and act of His love, by our encounter and acceptance of His son as Emmanuel “God-with-us” in our lives now, by being affected and changed by the person of Jesus, by sharing our faith to others, – in other words by being His living eye & ear witnesses, God’s blessings begin and continue to prosper within us today and forever.

    In reply to that man’s questions, I said to him, “it is not a sin to unemployed. You are not only what you have or what you have done in life. But you are who you are before God now.  Just Be the best and responsible father and husband you can be. Let God do the rest.”

    We began our advent journey with His challenge to: “Stay awake & Be prepared”. Then we are invited to “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand”. And today, the Lord calls to “Go & tell others what you hear & see”.

    As we continue our advent journey in preparation for the birthday of our Lord in our lives nowadays, may we open our hearts, minds, body, soul, ears & eyes to recognize & believe in Him always in our midst, & hope for another spirit-filled year with Emmanuel, the God-with-us. Amen.

  • OUR FAITH IN THE MESSIAH

    OUR FAITH IN THE MESSIAH

    December 4, 2022 – Second Sunday of Advent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120422.cfm)

    Have you ever encountered a leader who is filled with vanity and only thinks of himself or herself? A leader in a group or in an organization, or in a company or community or in a nation who has become pretentious but insecure can be very dangerous. It would be in this kind of leaders that we find persons who have no intentions to serve others but rather abuse the authority conferred upon them for their personal advantage and comfort. This is how we suffer because of such ruthless, incompetent and corrupt leaders which may happen even in our small groups, organizations, companies, communities, churches or even countries.

    Our failure as people is when we become indifferent, lenient and have no concern when our leaders turned against the weak and powerless. When members of an organization or even in a small community would play blind over the dishonest dealings of a leader, then, members start to condone and perpetuate such abuses.

    The Hebrew people to whom the Book of the Prophet Isaiah was written had this similar experience. The people had been through a lot of suffering and disgrace. The people suffered because of their incompetent, selfish, abusive and corrupt leaders. Both their religious and political leaders had turned against the weak and the powerless in their society. The appointed leaders who were given authority to build the nation and uplift the people, were the very ones who caused suffering to many. This was how the prophets were chosen in order to call the attention of the leaders and give hope to the suffering people.

    This is what we have heard in the first reading on this Second Sunday of Advent. Isaiah tells us of the birth of a child who will be the Messiah. This child shall restore order, peace, harmony and prosperity through reconciliation and forgiveness of sins, through change of our way of life.

    Isaiah tells us of the person of the Messiah. His arrival will be as silent as a shoot sprouts or as a bud blossoms. Many will not notice his coming for it will be completely no grandeur. It will be simple yet powerful because he has the Spirit of the Lord. He confronts the wicked and the corrupt. He defends the poor and heal the afflicted. He is just and faithful. He brings peace and harmony to all. He is gentle and not violent.

    This is the very hope also expressed in our Psalm today that, “Justice shall flourish in his time and fullness of peace forever.” This is God’s promise which reminds us of the event in Bethlehem, the place of birth of the Messiah. Holding on to this promise of the birth of the Messiah, calls us now to faith. Thus, the second candle of advent has been lit. That is why, that candle is called the Candle of Bethlehem and Candle of Faith.

    Besides, the second reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans invites us to be open and welcoming of everyone, not to be discriminating. Paul expresses this call in two points. First, Paul prayed, “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another.” This tells us that living in harmony is an act of giving glory to God because the Lord is a God of community. Second, Paul taught, “Welcome one another, as Christ welcomed you.” This tells us that to be able to embrace one another despite our differences, also gives glory to God. Welcoming others is an expression of God’s presence among us.

    Therefore, having harmony in our community, showing compassion, justice and concern for each one is what the Lord calls us to be. This is also what we are hoping for, a time of peace.

    Both readings from Isaiah and Paul are addressed to the unfaithful and the faithful people, to the oppressors and oppressed, to the poor and the rich, to the powerless and the powerful. Indeed, a time of peace shall come through the “birth of a child.” This is the birth of the Messiah who shall come with peace and joy. This is God’s expression of faithfulness to us.

    Yet, this promise also brings an invitation for us and that is to REPENT, to change our wicked ways, to reform our selfish and evil intentions. This is what the Gospel of Matthew tells us through the person of John the Baptist. John, a cousin of Jesus, prepares us to welcome the Lord fully and joyfully, without reserve, pretentions or conditions. John also expressed this in two points. First, to repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Second, to prepare the way of the lord and make straight his paths.

    The very life of John is a testament of that call to change our ways by “acknowledging our sins.” However, the acknowledgement of sins here is not about our petty-personal-habitual sins that we usually confess. Indeed, there is something lacking in our conscience when we can only see those petty-personal-habitual sins and limit our awareness on our failure to attend Sunday Mass, in our failure to say our prayers, or in telling white lies and our sexual fantasies. Yet, when our heart is blind and indifferent to the many “social sins” in our institutions and communities, our conscience is truly limited or worst damaged! This makes us sick!

    Social sins exist in our groups and communities that condone any structure, or belief or culture that oppresses and abuses people or even the environment, that violates human dignity, suppresses freedom and imposes great inequality.[1]

    That is why, John especially called the attention of the many Pharisees and Sadducees who came to see him. These people were leaders in their communities who cannot even get along with each other but both held power over the people. Both tend to abuse their influence over the people for their own personal advantage.

    Therefore, John calls us to acknowledge our sins of “indifference to corruption and dishonesty, in condoning and tolerating these practices in our institutions and communities, in our failure to side with the poor and the economically disadvantaged, and in our failure to uphold justice.

    Thus, this Second Sunday of Advent invites us now with these three points of reflections.

    First, to fully acknowledge our social sins as individuals and as a community.

    Second, to be more available for God and others. This means that we are called to build among us a culture that is sensitive and aware of the needs of others.

    Third, this calls us to faith, faith in the Messiah that we ourselves will become his presence today as we commit to work for justice, to defend the powerless and to resist the temptation of dishonesty and corruption in our institutions, workplaces, organizations and communities. Kabay pa.

    [1] https://www.wearesaltandlight.org/learn-together/understanding-social-sin