Category: Weekday Homilies

June 26, 2019 – Wednesday of the 12^th Week in OT

Mt. 7:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but underneath are ravenous wolves.
By their fruits you will know them.
Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Just so, every good tree bears good fruit,
and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down
and thrown into the fire.
So by their fruits you will know them.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Jesus warned his disciples of the presence of the false prophet who will bring confusion among them. This person is pretentious and lives a life filled with lies and shadows. Yet, a false prophet can be so entertaining, fascinating, persuasive and convincing. The false prophet’s words sound wonderful and filled with big promises. However, the fruits of the actions and words of the false prophet only bring destruction and death.

This is the reason why Jesus wanted his disciples to be more discerning in listening to different voices around them. When a disciple is not attentive and discerning to the many inputs, he or she may be led easily to believe to fake news.

In today’s context, a false prophet may appear to us as a real or virtual person who may persuade us to believe in their false hopes, false alarms and fake news especially with what is happening in our community today. The intention of persuading us to believe has certainly contained hidden selfish agenda. But beware of these and be discerning because such actions will only bring us to division.

Moreover, such false prophets can also take the form of the empty promises of our various addictions. Gambling, alcohol, drugs, sex, shopping, excessive Internet usage may promise to fill our empty and hallow hearts that long for attention and care, recognition and acceptance, affection and love. These forms of false prophets may also seduce us to believe that these addictions and unhealthy coping mechanisms may provide relief from the pain that we feel, pain of losing a loved one, of heartbreak, of rejection, or of failure and guilt.

Jesus wants us to only listen to Him because all these various forms of false prophets will surely not bring us to life and freedom but rather to slavery and death. The Lord desires that we become free and alive.

Thus, Jesus invites us today to be discerning, as we are bombarded everyday with many inputs from the outside. Listen also to the voice within us that will point us to come closer to God. Seek and listen to those people and other forms of media-communication that will bring you closer to Jesus and will help you to know yourself and him better.

If you realize that this kind of person, media site, or attitude of yours does not bring you closer to God but away from Him, away from yourself and from other people, then, beware because that will only bring you to destruction.

As we make the effort of listening and following the voice of Jesus, we will certainly also find the way to freedom and way to fullness of life. Hinaut pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR

June 25, 2019 – Tuesday 12^th Week in OT

Mt. 7:6, 12-14

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the Law and the Prophets.

“Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,
and those who enter through it are many.
How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

What Jesus is saying to us today sounds very simple.

Do you want others to be kind to you? Then, be kind to others. Do you want others to be generous to you? Then, be generous to others.

This really sounds simple. Yet, as we have experienced, this is not always the case. Think of those people who were very ungrateful to you despite the many things that you have done for them. Think of those of talked behind your back, even though you have been good to them but these people remained vicious once they are at your back. Think of those people who only stay at your side as long as you can provide them their wants and needs, but once you fail to give what they want, then, they turn against you. Think also of those who always ignore you, criticize you and insult you before others.

Now, this teaching of Jesus really sounds absurd, right? The Golden Rule will really sound ridiculous when we ourselves also are not convinced of its power. Indeed, the Golden Rule of Jesus has its power to transform individuals and communities. The Golden Rule inspires change of attitude and of the heart not just to the one doing it but also to the person who is the recipient of the good deed.

Jesus gave this Golden Rule to his disciples in a positive way, “Do to others what you want others to do you.” Jesus avoided the negative approach of, “Do not do unto others what you do not want others do unto you,” which sounds passive.

This positive approach of Jesus invites us to take a proactive stance. This means that we initiate kindness, goodness and giving respect to others even though they may not deserve it. That is why; Jesus calls this the “narrow gate” because only few people will take the risk of expressing kindness and giving utmost respect to undeserving people.

Yet, once we take the risk of going into this “narrow gate,” we shall also find life and freedom. Remember, God loves us even though we are unworthy and through that love, we find life.

Thus, I would like to invite you to take the risk and actively do good things to people around, no matter who they are. At least, let them feel of your presence, a presence that neither judge nor condemn, but a presence that shows kindness and respect to the person. We don’t know that could be the most comforting day for that person, and that could also be your most awesome day. Hinaut pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR

Solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist – June 24, 2019

Isa. 49:1-6; Acts 13:22-26; Lk 1:57-66,80

Today we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist. He is a very important figure in the New Testament and that is why our Church celebrates with great dignity his birth.

How significant was he then? The Lord promised to send a Messiah who will come to us in order to save us. But before the Messiah will come, a person shall be sent first to serve as a herald who will prepare God’s people for the coming of the Messiah. This herald will not only announce the coming of the Messiah but he too will lead the people to recognize who the Messiah is.

In the prophecy of the Book of Isaiah, this person shall be a light of the nations because he will teach, lead and gather the people to see God. The birth of this person is not by accident but planned well by God.

We have heard in the first reading how Isaiah described God calling his herald even before his birth. This herald has been named and appointed by God to lead his people. This is God’s promise to be first fulfilled through the participation of humanity, through us.

The Gospel reveals further to us how God planned everything so that we will be able to recognize Him. The birth of John was announced to an old couple, Zachariah and Elizabeth. For the Jews, if a couple has no child, it means that they are not favored by God and worst they too believed that the couple are cursed.

However, to the surprise of this old couple an angel announced that they will have a son. Elizabeth welcomed the message from God, but her husband, because it was too much to believe could not accept God’s gift. That is why, Zechariah was silenced by God. He only recovered his voice when his son was born. It was when he gave the name John to his son that the Lord opened his mouth again because the Lord is gracious. Yes, the name John or Johannes means the Lord is gracious.

The birth of John is God’s manifestation that He is indeed gracious and faithful despite our unbelief and doubts. God continues to reveal himself to us even though we refuse to believe.

This was the role of John and that was to bring people again to believe that God has never abandoned us. God remembers and is here with us. This made John a great and important prophet because he reminded the people about God, made people recognize God and brought them close to God. Yet, because of this role of John, it caused John’s life. He was martyred, beheaded actually, because of this cause to make people recognize God.

For all of us now, we may ask ourselves, “What is God’s plan for me now? What does God want me to be now? Is there also a divine purpose of my life?”

We are called today to be the modern John the Baptist of God. Yes, you and me who have been baptized in the name of God have been called to proclaim God’s graciousness. We are called to lead people back and close to God and to discover a life filled with peace and love with God and with each other.

How do we do it then? You as parents, you are in the best position to lead your children to God. You are there to prepare the way of the Lord in the hearts of your children. Teachers, educators and persons who are in authority, you too are in the position to influence your students, mentees and subjects to discover God in your authority. As friends, co-workers, and classmates we too are in the position to let those people around us to realize that God is in us. Through us, people around us may discover and be led close to God.

This is how we celebrate this feast of the Birth of John, by making John alive in each of us. It also means that we make ever present God’s graciousness in us because we will become a witness to God’s grace. Hopefully, through this vocation of bringing people close to God, we as a community, will also journey closer to God as we struggle to recognize God daily in our life despite our unbelief and refusal to believe in his graciousness to us. Kabay pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR

June 22, 2019 – Saturday 11^th Week in OT

Mt. 6:24-34

Jesus said to his disciples:
“No one can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink,
or about your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds in the sky;
they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns,
yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are not you more important than they?
Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?
Why are you anxious about clothes?
Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.
They do not work or spin.
But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor
was clothed like one of them.
If God so clothes the grass of the field,
which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow,
will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’
or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’
All these things the pagans seek.
Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”

Do you find yourself worrying a lot? Do you feel anxious every now and then with so many things?

The Gospel of the Lord.

Our worries and anxieties may have been there since we have become conscious about ourselves and about the world. Naturally, parents would tend to worry about their growing children. Students would feel anxious about their exams and the future that they are going to take. Lovers may feel anxious of the security in their relationship. Workers and professionals may worry with the demands of their work and their relationships among their colleagues and superiors.

Moreover, we can be worrisome also even in unimportant and small things as to what we are going to wear, how do we look like and appear before others, what kind of gadgets and brand of shirt we are to purchase for ourselves, what kind of haircut should fit us and what color should we choose for our nails, etc.

When we only settle with these trivial things making ourselves worried and anxious, then, we are losing the most important aspects of our life. Our worries and anxieties may distract our peace and even remove us from what are more important.

Jesus invites his disciples to set their hearts and seek instead the kingdom of God. Jesus felt that his disciples had grown to be more worried about their food, their appearance before the people, their security and even their future. Because of so much worries and anxiety, the disciples were not able to focus to what was more important. They became distracted and settled only with trivial things about their life

Because of these worries and anxieties their hearts were full that it prevented God to fill them, to surprise them and satisfy them. Jesus also wants us that we become free from worries and anxieties that only prevent God to come to us and fill us with his presence.

Seeking God’s kingdom and His righteousness means realizing our confidence in God who is most generous to us.

To seek God’s Kingdom also means to be more familiar with God’s presence that is continually unfolded in our everyday experiences. When we become familiar with His presence then, we also grow in confidence and faith in God.

To seek God’s righteousness also means to be more attuned with what God desires for us. God’s desires will always lead us to peace, freedom and joy. However, if we refuse to seek His righteousness, then, it means walking away from His offer of peace, freedom and joy and instead making ourselves to be overwhelmed with our worries and anxieties.

Walking away from God’s offer is also a refusal to live in God’s desire for us. And we will never have peace, freedom and joy. We shall be constantly insecure, restricted, bitter and angry.

Thus, let us seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness that we may also find freedom from unnecessary worries and anxieties and become more confident in this God who is ever faithful to us. God is truly generous, blessing us abundantly with his presence. Hinaut pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR

June 21, 2019 – Friday 11^th Week in OT

2 Cor 11:18, 21-30; Mt. 6: 19-23

What is it that usually occupies your mind? What keeps you busy? What is it that consumes your energy and gives you satisfaction and happiness?

Is it something that builds and nurtures relationships? Is it lasting or temporary? Does it give you true satisfaction and deep joy or does it only feed your need for immediate gratification?

Thus, it is good to reflect what the Gospel says to us today, “for where your treasure is, there also your heart be.” By being able to know on what really occupies our mind and on what keeps us busy and on what consumes our energy, then we shall find our heart. We too shall find our treasure there.

This is an invitation to see and realize on what is really of value and important to us. Is it myself alone and personal career and success? Are these my addictions and selfish desires? Or are these my relationships? My God, family and friends?

Paul in his letter to the Corinthians told us of what occupied him, kept him busy and what consumed his energy. He actually was boasting of his sacrifices that he made in preaching the Gospel, and giving witness to the Risen Jesus. It was all for the love of the Lord Jesus that Paul took the risk and gave himself for the sake of the proclamation of the Gospel. He was imprisoned, beaten, stoned, persecuted, and experienced danger in his travels all for the love of God.

Paul did these without any complain neither grumbles nor bitterness. Joy in sharing and giving witness to the Gospel was what moved Paul to do all these sacrifices. In fact, this joy originated from Jesus himself, the true joy of Paul, and his lasting and true treasure in heaven.

Indeed, the relationship of Paul with the Lord and with the people to whom he was sent sustained Paul’s person and ministry. Paul would always see the day as something new, filled with hope that is why he was able to continue in his ministry.

This is also the invitation of Jesus in today’s Gospel – “store up treasures in heaven.” Jesus invites us to be more conscious of things that will last. Jesus was not talking about material possessions, neither human desires for recognition and power nor human cravings for self-gratification.

Jesus called his disciples and us today to treasure the relationship we have with God and our relationship among ourselves as families and community. This means that it was also an invitation to give priority to these relationships, in nurturing and giving importance through sharing of gifts and giving sacrifices for one another.

Jesus invites us then, to give more importance in our relationships, particularly, to be daring in building intimate and deeper relationships with God and with our families by giving what we have – our time and presence, by not fearing to take sacrifices for our loved ones.

Thus, spend quality time with your spouse and children, parents and siblings. Let them feel that you are not just physically present but also mentally and emotionally with them. Stop any distractions that will separate you from them which could be your gadgets or other forms of addictions.

Allot a good time with God too, talking to Him and feeling His presence. Too many words may not be necessary, but just allow God to touch you. Hinaut pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR