Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Sunday Homlies

  • STAY AWAKE, and BE prepared

    STAY AWAKE, and BE prepared

    December 1, 2019 – First Sunday of Advent

    Click here for the readings (http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/120119.cfm)

    Homily shared by Fr. Mar Masangcay, CSsR (a Filipino Redemptorist Missionary in South Korea)

    A mother once knocks at his son’s door and have this following exchange of words. “Son, wake up,” the mother said. The son replied: “Mom, I don’t want to get up.” “Son, Get up now. You have to go to the church today,” mother continued. The son replied, “I don’t want to go to church today”. “Why not?” mom asked. The son snapped, “I will give you three reasons: “I’m too young to go church, it’s dull and boring, and people there don’t like me.” But the mom persisted, “Now, I will give you three reasons you should go to the church. You are already 30 years old, and have to be there today, because it’s your wedding day. So, Wake up and get up now. You are already grown up, enough to just go back to sleep again. 

    Which is more difficult nowadays: to lay down and go asleep in the evening or to get up and stay awake in the morning? Waking up and getting up in the morning, and staying awake the whole day have always been our daily struggle these days. We always want to go back to sleep. All day long there is a longing in us to go back to bed and sleep again. Even when we are up and awake, we still have bouts of daydreams and musings the whole day through. That is why we have a Filipino saying: Mahirap gisingin ang taong gising. “It is not easy to wake up someone who is already awake”. In other words, how can you wake up someone who is already awake?

    We may not only be dealing here about our getting up physically in the morning and the whole day through, but this may also be true about getting up and staying awake in our whole life.  This may also be about how awake and aware are we in living our lives. As we go through our lives, there are many moments that we are more asleep than awake. Habitually we may have found ourselves already physically awake but still actually unaware, out of sync, lukewarm, numb, and out of touch of reality. In life, we find ourselves usually in situations where we are already but still – that is, already awake yet still asleep. It is like, you already realize your mistake, but still doing the same mistake all over again. Same way as that son, who is already awake but still find reasons and excuses not to get up but to go back to sleep. 

    Waking up and staying awake in life may be a struggle but it is also a choice. In other words, “to get up and stay awake OR to go back and remain asleep” in life is perhaps the first decision we have to struggle with and make everyday in life. What is significant here is not only the action and decision taken but moreso on the awareness, realization and choice of the present NOW in facing life. Since now you know your mistake, now you have the choice to continue the same mistake or do something about it. Since you know NOW you are old enough to go to church today because it’s your wedding day or your Lord’s Day, you may get up OR to go back asleep. 

    This is why on the first Sunday of Advent in preparation for the coming Christmas day, the Lord has very simple message to us: STAY AWAKE, and BE prepared.

    Human as we are, the Lord knows that we rather stay asleep than awake in life. He recognizes that we are already awake yet at times mostly asleep in life. He also knows however that we do have the choice NOW whether to stay awake or asleep. That is why He is particularly calling us to Stay awake, be prepared, get up and go forward for He promises that there are more and better in life yet to come.  His words in our gospel today are not His warning but a wake-up call to us. 

    To remain awake and stay aware in life, is indeed a struggle yet a choice. But if we continue to heed and do our part in the Lord’s invitation of staying awake and being aware now in our life, we will see more and eventually become witnesses to fullness of life God can offer us. Or else… we miss again the chance.

    As the Lord reminds us today: Therefore, Stay awake and be prepared… for the Son of Man will come.”  In other words, Hoy Gising … Wake up for I am coming.

    May the Lord shake and disturb us from our spiritual slumber and laziness these weeks of Advent so that we are prepared enough to welcome Him again in our life now and ahead. Amen. 

  • Sensing God’s Presence everyday

    Sensing God’s Presence everyday

    December 1, 2019 – 1st Sunday of Advent

    (Click here for the readings – http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/120119.cfm)

    Homily

    According to scholars, about 20,000 to 40,000 years ago, we, humans began domesticating dogs. We have lived with dogs side by side for many years. As a result, humans and dogs have developed relationship which include emotional connection. Because of the familiarity of the dogs to human, dogs have developed ways of recognizing emotional reactions from human. But more than, dogs also as well as humans have established an intimate emotional connection with each other.

    That’s why, if I may ask you, who among you have dogs at home? Have you also noticed your dog when you are about to come home? When dogs are left alone, it creates anxiety to them because they are in need of mental stimulation and social interaction (from https://www.rover.com/blog/dogs-get-lonely-keep-home-alone-dog-happy/). Consequently, dogs long for their humans to come home and keep them company.

    What is more interesting is the behavior among dogs when they can sense that you are coming. This is how dogs show their alertness to welcome their humans. Thus, even from a distance they can sense your coming and when they begin to hear the familiar noise of your car engine or even of your footsteps, they begin to wiggle their tails. They patiently wait for you and when they see you they make terrible sounds but for them it’s their expression of joy. That joy it expressed in excitement by jumping at you, licking you and going around your feet.

    This behavior among our dogs reminds me of this Season of Advent. Advent, which is understood as the coming of the Savior, is a season of joyful waiting.  And to joyfully wait, our dogs have something to teach us. To joyfully wait involves longing and attentiveness or alertness. Indeed, dogs long for our presence and very attentive by sensing our coming and even smelling our scent.

    The readings today wonderfully tell us of that longing for the coming of our Lord. In the first reading from the Book of Isaiah, the prophet expressed that longing when everything will fall into its place. This was written at the times when the people suffered from being exiled in Babylon. They longed for the time when all of them will come home and will be reunited. They longed for that time of peace where there will be no more wars but abundance and harmony. 

    Isaiah expressed this hope for the people and this is meant to uplift the spirit of the people. Indeed, on this first Sunday of Advent, we have lighted the first candle that symbolizes hope. This hope is what the prophets have told us. Thus, the candle is also called as the candle of the prophets.

    This is what the Psalm proclaims to us, “Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.” This is an expression of a longing to be with God. However, let us also not forget of our human tendency to lose hope especially when things are too difficult for us. We too might also feel of losing hope and forgetting our desire for God.

    This is what St Paul in his letter to the Romans reminds us. Paul tells to be awake from sleep because of the discouraging and disappointing events that have happened in our life. Thus, we may fall asleep because we have become so tired from waiting for the Lord, because our prayers remain unanswered, because you have failed several times in your exams despite your reviews and prayers, or your partner or a family member is still problematic despite the prayer intentions you have offered, or until now you are not yet healed from your illness which gives you suffering despite the many “pamisa” you have made, or your loved one was taken away from you because of a sudden death even though you have been a good catholic.

    Because these are discouraging, and so we feel that our faith is weakened. This happens when we lose our desire for God and tend to focus more on our personal wants, personal assurance of comfort and security. That is why, Paul also tells us to let go of these works of darkness and rather put on the armor of light. 

    Putting the armor of light is making ourselves more familiar of God, of his presence in us. This is what Jesus reminds us today “to stay awake and be alert at all times.”

    Jesus wants us to be always attentive to his presence and attentive to his everyday coming in our daily life – at home, at work or at school. Jesus wants us to long for him and to be more attentive to his presence. Thus, this is an invitation to have a heightened awareness of God’s presence in our life and in the lives of others.

    Hence, as St. Paul teaches us in “conducting ourselves properly,” we are called to be more selfless by expressing our love for one another. When we become less self-centered, then, we also begin to recognize others and to recognize God. By showing our concern for one another, we also become more aware of God. When we begin to build intimate connections with our family and friends by opening up ourselves to them, then, we also begin to open up ourselves for God. Our intimacy with others brings us, actually, into the intimacy we have with God. In other words, our closeness with those who are around us brings us into our closeness with God.

    Indeed, the emotional connection between dogs and humans, reminds us of our intimate connection with God. We are a people who longs to see the face of God, who longs to feel His loving and comforting presence in our life. Yet, let us also realize that though we long for God, God longs for us all the more. God is more excited to meet us. Jesus would surely come and meet us where we are at this very moment.

    This is the invitation for us this Sunday – to joyfully wait for God’s everyday coming in our life by being attentive and alert of His presence. In this way, hope becomes more alive in us because we know and we believe that Jesus is truly with you and with me. 

    Remember, God reveals his abiding and loving presence to us in any moment of our life. Let us keep our hearts to always desire God through our constant and intimate communication through our personal prayer and through this Eucharist. 

    Let us hope that as we are able to meet the Lord in our ordinary life may it become a moment of joy for us and a life-changing experience for us and for our community. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • The Powerless King on the Cross

    The Powerless King on the Cross

    Solemnity of Christ the King – November 24, 2019

    A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (23:35-43)

    The rulers sneered at Jesus and said,
    “He saved others, let him save himself
    if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.” 
    Even the soldiers jeered at him. 
    As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
    “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.” 
    Above him there was an inscription that read,
    “This is the King of the Jews.”

    Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
    “Are you not the Christ?
    Save yourself and us.” 
    The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
    “Have you no fear of God,
    for you are subject to the same condemnation?
    And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
    for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
    but this man has done nothing criminal.”
    Then he said,
    “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
    He replied to him,
    “Amen, I say to you,
    today you will be with me in Paradise.”

    Homily

    How would you imagine a king?

    Being influenced by cartoons, anime and movies, I would imagine a king who wears a golden crown, covered in a golden robe, sitting on a golden throne and living in a golden palace. A king is a powerful man who has thousands of armies, who conquered many nations and defeated countless enemies through bloody wars. He is untouchable – and commoners, slaves and servants cannot talk to him directly. His throne is too far from the ordinary people.

    This is not far from how we imagine Jesus Christ our King. Influenced by the western culture we also imagine Christ the king who wears a golden crown, wrapped in a golden robe and sits on a golden throne. This image, for me, seems to be a distant king who does not know the daily affairs of his people. A king who merely shows greatness, triumph and wealth.

    However, the Gospel that we have heard today speaks nothing of this kind of king. What we have is a vulnerable king, powerless and crucified on the cross. This is Jesus’ statement that he is not an earthly king who only shows grandeur, control and domination over his subjects. He is a king who became like us, who lived with us and journeyed with us in every story of our life especially in those difficult and dark moments.

    He is not an unreachable king sitting there on the high throne but he is a God-with-us (Emmanuel). He is a king who knows us and our deepest secrets and desires. But he is a king who does not control and imposes himself on us. He only calls and invites us to come to him.

    Jesus’ determination to call us and to gather us brought him into that situation. Despite the danger and of the suffering he would endure, as king, he is always ready to take the risk to offer his life for our sake, that we may experience freedom and healing. We find his invitation through the three different people in the Gospel and their individual response to Jesus. So, let us look at them.

    First, the people like the Jewish authorities and the soldiers. They refused to recognize Jesus as King and Messiah because he was a threat to them, a threat to their comfort, and threat to their earthly power. It was a decision they have made despite the invitations of Jesus for them to believe in Him.

    Second, one of the criminals who insulted Jesus. He was actually confused and did not make any stand. He was lukewarm. He neither condemned Jesus nor accepted him as Lord, King and Redeemer. Despite the closeness of God in him on the cross, he did not recognize God in Jesus because he was still full of himself. He was unrepentant.

    Third was the other man on the cross. He was the one who recognized God in Jesus and decided to accept Jesus as his Lord. This made him say, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Being powerless on that cross, he was able to recognize the face of the Lord, his king. This person felt a God who has accompanied him in his suffering and even towards death. Through his very suffering, he found God to be so close to him.

    This tells us now of a king who is close to us. Jesus is not a king who is distant from our sufferings and fears but a king who patiently and lovingly walks with us. God, indeed, meets us where we are and he is ready to bend down in order to encounter us there in the saddest and darkest part of our life.

    Yet, let us also remember that Jesus requires our participation. To every person Jesus met, he gave them the chance to recognize him but the hardness of their hearts and because of their arrogance, they refused to see Jesus. But with this other man on the cross, owning his sins and failures in life brought him into that realization that he was in need of God. Meaning, when we humbly recognize our weaknesses and sins we also recognize God’s love for us. This becomes, then, an opportunity for God to transform our life.

    Thus, on this great feast of Christ our King, let us also own and recognize our failures and sins. This calls us not to be afraid because Christ will never condemn us to death. He already took it upon himself for us. What he wants is that we will enjoy his presence in paradise. 

    And as Jesus identified himself with the suffering, with the dying, with the condemned, let us also expand our image of Christ the King. Let us encounter and recognize Jesus through the sick old person abandoned by his family, or those who have been affected by calamities, or a rejected and broken daughter or son who succumbed to drug and alcohol addiction, or to an abused spouse, or to a street family who are displaced or to a friend who suffers depression, or a classmate who is being bullied. Take time to meet those who might need our help in ways that we can do. And hopefully, that encounter will bring us into the experience of meeting Christ the King through others. Hinuat pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • Are you Jesus? – Reflection on the Solemnity of Christ, the King

    Are you Jesus? – Reflection on the Solemnity of Christ, the King

    Reflection shared by Fr. Mar Masangcay, CSsR (Filipino Missionary in South Korea)

    In a rather busy and crowded bus terminal in Manila, a PWD (person with disability) foreigner was found trying to find his way, hoping to catch his bus. While sitting and waiting for his bus, a young OFW (overseas Filipino worker) saw and sensed the PWD foreigner’s confusion, came and approached the foreigner, and said, “May I have of some assistance, Sir?” “O, Thanks. I’ve been trying to find my way, hoping I would not miss my 9am bus to Baguio”. The OFW replied, “No worry, Sir. I’m on the same trip. We could come together.” Gladly the foreigner sat with him, waiting for their bus. As the bus arrived, the OFW helped the PWD to his seat, and then bids farewell to find his own seat. Suddenly the PWD said to the OFW, “Many thanks, Man. Are you Jesus?”

    Christmas proclaims in the gospel of St. John: “The word became flesh and live with us. He was in the world and the world came to be through Him…But the world did not know Him … and his people did not accept Him.” Although Christianity is universal, world-wide, international and multicultural, we cannot deny that our Lord Jesus Christ, we believe in, is still unknown and unaccepted in the world. Others may have heard and seen about Jesus from others, but most of us have not meet and experienced Jesus personally. And most of us are, even in faith still longing and searching for Jesus intimately. In others words, in our disabilities and being foreigner/migrant to discover God’s life, we are still finding our ways to wander “Are you Jesus? Is this Jesus?” – hoping to catch a glimpse of God through Jesus, God’s word who lives with us in our daily lives.

    On this last Sunday of liturgical year, today we honor Christ the King. We celebrate the Kingship of Jesus Christ, confirming of His reign, presence and rule in our lives today. However, His Kingship is best portrayed to us, not Him in some precious throne and with pearly crown, but Him hanging on a cross wearing a crown of thorns and among criminals.

    As our gospel today shows us, while even on the hour of his death, Our Lord and King Jesus still speaking and sharing words of hope and compassion to all those who come near Him. His reign, presence and rule in our life is thus best revealed to us by His continuing sharing and spreading of God’s good News of love, mercy, hope, compassion & faith to our world in the story of His life, mission, suffering, death, resurrection and glory.

    Meaning, whenever and everytime we experience in our life love, kindness, mercy, compassion, kindness hope and faith, shown by us both as receiver – like the PWD, and as giver – like the OFW, God’s grace – along with the kingship of Jesus, is with us and in our midst. As a church song proclaims, “they will know we are Christians by our love”. By our experience of love and of loving in life, we and others may come to know that “we are of Christ”, “we are of Jesus”. Thus, God’s word and kingdom is with us; and our Lord and King Jesus life, mission, and reign live with us, as we still always experience in life love, hope, compassion and faith.

    Now, to always discover the Emmanuel, God amongst us, and also to be “of Jesus, of Christ” personally in our life and world today, as PCP II suggests, the challenge for us Catholics, especially Filipino Catholics, is to retell (tell again & again) the Jesus story to ourselves so that we can tell him to others. In other words, Kilalalin natin muli at lagi si Jesus sa ating sarili, upang atin siyang maipakilala sa mundo. 

    Preach and proclaim Jesus to yourself so that you can share Him to others. Be personal with Jesus so that in you and through you, He can and will also be personal to others.  In other words, Represent Jesus (present him again) to oneself, so that He will be also present to others who are longing for Him in life.

    Lord, even in our faith, we also are wandering “are you or is this Jesus?” – still longing and searching to discover you in our lives. As you have revealed to us, may our experience of love and loving you and others in life,  allow us to retell your story, and let others tell your story to ourselves, so that we can tell and share You, as well as to “be Jesus” to others who also searching and wanting to be near and personal with you.  Amen.

  • Is there life before death?

    Is there life before death?

    November 17, 2019 – 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Reading: Mal 3:19-20a; 2 Thes 3:7-12; Lk 21:5-19

    Homily shared by Fr. Mar Masangcay, CSsR ( a Filipino Redemptorist Missionary in South Korea)

    Whenever death & disasters happen in our lives, we cannot help but raise the question about the end-time or the end of the world. Ever-present war, famine, pestilence, super typhoons, tsunamis, hunger, earthquakes, flooding, landslides, and countless death-crimes in life render us anxious and helpless towards our coming future. Our worries about the coming end-times are not only felt around us but also within us. We are not ignorant as to how it felt when our world seems have broken and ended whenever we experience heartache as to the death and loss of our loved ones, or failed in our studies, business endeavors, plans and dreams, or diagnose with serious illness and others. Even worse, the Scripture and Jesus himself warns us of these coming end-times as inevitable and surely to happen to our human life.  

    Related with our uncertainty about end-time are the questions: 

    “What’s the point? What’s the meaning of all these life-endeavors? Is there hope in life?”

    And above all, at the very heart it raises the question:

    “What now and then? Is there Life AFTER Death?”

    A wise man once said: 

    “The question should not be: ‘Is there life after death’ but rather ‘Is there life BEFORE death’? 

    True enough, while life-disasters and death surely to happen in life, we should concern ourselves less about what happen to us after life, but rather to be more concerned about how we live our life before our inevitable death. Regardless whether there is life after death or not, we should never forget the fact that there is life before death that we are in now. If we come to think of it, we are now here alive for a reason and purpose to be in this world. It is for us now, as we live this life, to discover and fulfill in life our real reason and purpose to be and live. Our task and concern in life is to live our life now before death to the fullness of our very life-purpose. 

    Life Before Death would also mean that the greatest loss in life is not death, but what dies inside us while we live. Sadly there are people nowadays who have reasons to die than to live, and people who are still alive but dying and already died inside. Though painful, confusing and disheartening, our experiences of disasters and loss should move us still alive to deeply discover and enable the very reason and meaning of our life-existence. For Jesus, life-death and disasters are not only about end-times or world’s end, but more so about the opportunity for us to testify, that is, to rise to the occasion, and stand up and witness in life our faith in God through Him, and to live-up to our very life-purpose and reason in life.  In other words, Jesus is saying to us, that these things will surely happen to us, but with a reason and for a purpose. So, we should consider more our life now before death, rather than our life after death. 

    Practical advice to ponder, whenever disaster strikes and happens in life is thus ask not, “Why is this happening TO me?” but rather, “why is this happening FOR me?” Asking, “why is this happening TO me?” leads to unhealthy self-doubt, blame, guilt, anger, and inner death. Asking “why is this happening FOR me?” leads to meaning, purpose, challenge, responsibility, and resolution. 

    As we grapple then with the concern about our experience of death & disasters in life, ask not: “Is there life after death?” “Why is this happening to me?” but rather ask, “Is there life before death?” “Why is this happening for me?”. So that, we may be more grounded to live our lives by its very reason, meaning and purpose, as well as to be a living testimony and witness of our Christian faith, and God’s grace to the world.

    May the Lord lead us to fullness of life. Amen.