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Category: Weekday Homilies

  • Awareness of God’s Grace calls us to gratitude and graciousness

    Awareness of God’s Grace calls us to gratitude and graciousness

    November 11, 2020 – Wednesday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111120.cfm)

    Homily

    In a conversation with a friend, he told me that he was doing some form of sacrifices because he was asking God of something, to grant his prayer intentions. This really reminds me of our usual attitude in our prayers and in the way we relate to God. We make sacrifices so that God may grant our prayers for healing, for success or for material graces that we need. We also take time to light a candle, to offer a mass intention, to say our novenas and rosaries, even visit churches and shrines, and ask the intercession of our favorite saints so that God will grant our prayers and desires.

    This kind of action is also similar to that 10 lepers in today’s Gospel. They too begged Jesus. They cried out to the Lord to heal and grant them freedom from the curse they endured. Certainly, Jesus listened to them. As Jesus told them to make themselves appear before their priests, on their way, each of them was healed from leprosy and experienced freedom from the curse of that illness. However, out of ten healed lepers, only one leper came back to Jesus. This leper came back to thank and to praise the Lord. This leper may not be fully aware yet, that Jesus is Lord, but he was sure enough that God was working in Jesus.

    Hence, Jesus actually wondered on what happened to the nine lepers who were all Jews like him. The leper who came back was a Samaritan, considered as a foreigner by the Jews. And Jews considered Samaritans as enemies, worthless and good for nothing. Yet, it was this enemy of the Jews, this worthless and good for nothing person who became aware not just that he was healed but also of the grace of healing. Becoming aware of the grace he received, this made the Samaritan leper to also recognize the giver of the grace. His awareness of the grace filled him with joy and gratitude. He must have been running back to Jesus out of joy to thank the Lord.

    However, Jesus indeed wondered about the nine Jewish healed lepers. We would wonder and could also ask, “What could have prevented them to thank Jesus like the Samaritan?” Well, we can only suspect. The nine Jewish healed lepers might have become indignant that the Samaritan was also healed and was given the grace. For them, a Samaritan was not worthy of God’s grace because they were traitors. They might have not accepted that an enemy had been blessed and healed by God. That happy occasion of healing must have turned into bitterness. Instead that the nine should be grateful to God, their hearts turned bitter at the sight of someone whom they thought was not worthy, useless, a mere disturbance in their society, and would only bring nothing good but problems and crimes.

    Because of such attitude, they forgot that everything was a grace and so forgot to express their gratitude to God. God’s generosity is endless yet our memory can sometimes become very short especially when we are filled with bitterness. We always remember to ask, but we tend to forget to give thanks.

    Thus, we should be careful on this. We might tend to think that those who always go to Church are the only ones worthy of God’s grace of mercy. We might tend to believe that our enemies, people we hate, people we don’t like are useless and insignificant. Then, this kind of attitude will only cloud our heart with hate and bitterness instead of gratitude and graciousness.

    Thus, we are called not just to be grateful with what we have but also to be more grateful for others who are also blessed by God. This makes us gracious too. And this also was the attitude of the Samaritan who went back to Jesus to thank him, to praise God and also to follow the Lord.

    This healed leper’s action showed how grateful his faith was. Indeed, he was not just healed physically but also spiritually. Jesus told him, “Stand up and go, your faith has saved you!” This healed leper teaches us today to show our gratitude to God so that we may also become gracious.

    St. Paul’s letter to Titus reminds us about this, he said, “the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we have done but because of his mercy.” And because of this, Paul urges us to “exercise all graciousness towards everyone.”

    Indeed, by becoming more and more aware of God’s grace in us and in each of us, we may also grow not in bitterness but with a grateful and graceful heart. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • God’s grace is a sheer gift not earned

    God’s grace is a sheer gift not earned

    November 10, 2020 – Tuesday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111020.cfm)

    Homily

    As Jesus reminded his disciples that a master need not be grateful to his servant and so is God need not be grateful to us. Like the servant in today’s Gospel, we too do not earn anything. Our good works and even expression of our devotion do not merit anything.

    Do you think that this is too bad? Well, if our mindset believes that our relationship with God is like when we are working, that what we do must be compensated with some wages, then, this really looks bad. However, our relationship with God is not something like this where we do good works, love others and love God, do our prayers and Church obligations and expect something good in return from God. God has no obligation whatsoever to us. We do not need to be compensated for our good works on earth.

    Nevertheless, our relationship with God  is entirely based on “grace.” God’s grace is not a compensation to us, not a reward and not a merit given to us. God’s grace is a sheer gift given to us because God is generous, because God is pure love.

    If God would rate and give points to the way we live our life, all of us may fail for God’s standard is not like ours. However, this sheer gift of God’s grace is given to us as God’s expression of love. It is not that God is indebted also to us because we adore and worship God, but because God’s love naturally overflows and God indeed is the fullness of love.

    Thus, just as Jesus reminded again his disciples, we too are “unprofitable servants,” yet blessed and loved by God. Should we not be grateful then?

    We are called to be grateful. This is our response to that pure gift of grace from God. Paul tells us that as the grace of God has appeared to us, then, we are to live our lives having self-control not driven by our selfish-intentions and impulses, to be honest in our words and deeds and to live a holy life. In this way, then, we are to express our gratitude to the Lord who is all good and generous to us for God is full of love. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • Be Young. Be Renewed. Be Life-Giving

    Be Young. Be Renewed. Be Life-Giving

    November 9, 2020 – Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome and Foundation Day of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110920.cfm)

    Homily on RYM Day of Prayer

    Today is a joyful and wonderful day that aside from celebrating the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, which is the Cathedral of Pope Francis, and which is also called as the “Mother and head of all churches of Rome and the world,” we Redemptorist Missionaries are also celebrating our 288th birthday!

    On this day, St Alphonsus together with the first members of the Redemptorists, founded the Congregation in the Island of Scala, Italy in 1732. For 288 years, God’s faithfulness and generosity manifested in the life of the Congregation in many ways. This experience with God has been shared in many missions and apostolate of the Redemptorists throughout the world.

    One of the most important missions of the congregation where God’s faithfulness, generosity and abounding love being shared, is the Youth Ministry. That is why, this livestreaming mass today is dedicated to our Redemptorist Youth Ministry, who in many parts of the Philippines have gathered today to celebrate November 9 as a Day of Prayer.

    Yes, today is a Day of Prayer of the young gathered physically and virtually. This gathering is so significant because this Day of Prayer, on this wonderful day, it invites all of us to remind ourselves that we are God’s Temple and God’s holy people. Our readings today expressed this identity in us that we are indeed God’s Temple and God’s holy people.

    For us to remember this and make this Day of Prayer more wonderful and powerful for us today, I have three invitations, something that you can bring and something you can celebrate.

    First, BE YOUNG. Pope Francis reminds us that “God is Young and is always New.” This means that God really brings surprises and freshness in us because God is ever young. God will never have an expiration because God is always new. That is why, all of us who are God’s building and God’s Holy Temple as what St. Paul reminds us in his first letter to the Corinthians,  are called to be always young. Remember, we may grow old in age, however, to be “young at heart” is not limited to a particular age group. We may be young in terms of age, but when our heart is filled with anger and hatred, with bitterness and indifference, then, we have surely grown old. Moreover, to be advanced in age does not also mean that we will never be young at heart. Even when we have grown in age, a senior citizen may still be young at heart when he or she remains welcoming, warn-hearted, joyful and alert of God’s daily invitations. Let us remember the words of Pope Francis, “True youth means having a heart capable of loving, whereas everything that separates us from others makes the soul grow old.” Thus, be young and celebrate being young at heart.

    Second, BE RENEWED. As God is always new, God also brings fresh graces and fresh experiences. Our true relationship with God is always fresh, it will never be spoiled. Prophet Ezekiel tells us in the first reading that the water from the temple overflows and it reaches the barren and dry desert, and the water brings life. Salt waters also turn into fresh waters where every living creature shall live. This means that when we allow God’s love to transform us, to challenge and to call us, then God brings renewal into our dry and empty hearts. Hence, allow God today to reach our hearts to transform, challenge and call us  so that we will be renewed.

    Third, BE LIFE-GIVING. Jesus came to give us life. Jesus manifested his life-giving mission in his ministry. That’s why when there were people who suck the life of others, Jesus also expressed dismay and disappointment. This is what happened in today’s Gospel. Jesus drove out the merchants and money-changers who were sucking up the life of the poor through their scandalous and oppressive business inside the Temple area. When we turn out to be driven by our selfish desires and selfish intentions, we will also become vicious in our relationship with people around us. When we are more concerned in bloating our ego then we turn out also to become abusive and corrupt because our heart has become indifferent to God.

    However, such way of life is lonely because we will constantly be haunted by insecurity and fear. Certainly, there is no life here but sadness. Pope Francis in his latest Encyclical, Fratelli Tutti said, “go outside the self in order to find ‘a fuller existence in another.’ ” Meaning, that when we begin to think less of ourselves, to step outside our comfort zones, and outside our insecurities and fears, then, we also discover the fullness of life with the people around us. Thus, to experience truly what life is, is to be able to give life. When I commit myself fully to love another then I find joy and meaning in life. When I generously give something to someone in need, I do not only help a person but also experience the joy of helping another. Therefore, to live life joyfully and truly, is to be life-giving.

    Now, may I repeat the three invitations on this Day of Prayer and birthday of our Congregation, BE YOUNG, BE RENEWED AND BE LIFE-GIVING. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • Friendship brings comfort in our distress

    Friendship brings comfort in our distress

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    November 7, 2020 – Saturday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110720.cfm)

    Homily

    When we are in distress, in pain and in great confusion because of some difficult situation in our life, the people who come to share our troubles will surely bring comfort in us. Even when our friends cannot be present with us physically, but, their expression of being with us spiritually also brings confidence in our distressed hearts.

    While Paul was in prison, the people who became his friends never left him. The Philippians who were converts of Paul’s mission travels, remembered him. They had been Paul’s supporters in joys and sorrows. And when Paul was captured by those who were hostile against the Christians, the Philippians made sure to bring aid to Paul in whatever way they can. Paul was being persecuted. His prison cell must had been a terrible place to stay. However, to be alone in there could have been more lonesome and grim.

    That is why, Paul expressed in his letter to his friends, the Philippians, his gratitude to them. Indeed, his friendship with them brought comfort in his distress. Paul said, “It was kind of you to share in my distress.” To be remembered by friends and to have friends who are ready to empathize with us certainly brings confidence in us. Thus, more than the material gifts he received, Paul rejoiced for the gift of friendship with them.

    Moreover, Paul also recognized that what gave him more strength was his friendship with the Lord. Paul expressed with confidence, “I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.” This is also Paul’s invitation to the Philippians, that they too will grow more in their friendship with the Lord Jesus who shall give them the strength for everything.

    The Lord, indeed, gives us the strength for everything. Paul learned how to adjust in every situation in his life and how to make every difficult situation bearable because of his faith and confidence in Jesus, the Lord.

    This is the invitation for us today, that we become generous givers and gracious receivers of gifts. The Philippians became generous givers to Paul because they had been gracious receivers from Paul’s teaching and preaching. Paul, as well, became a gracious receiver of friendship from them because he had been a generous giver to them.

    This is the very value that Jesus reminds us in today’s Gospel, that we may not be possessed by our resources but become charitable. To become truly charitable is to become trustworthy even in small matters because we do not allow our hearts to be corrupted by the desire to have more and to keep more for ourselves alone.

    Hopefully, we may grow in our consciousness of becoming aware of the needs of others and to be more generous in giving our ourselves to those friends who need help. We may also grow to have a welcoming and humble heart to receive the help from our friends and become grateful more of our friendship. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • The Prudence of the Dishonest Steward

    The Prudence of the Dishonest Steward

    November 6, 2020 – Friday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110620.cfm)

    Homily

    We have a puzzling gospel reading today. The master in the story praised the dishonest steward. But does it mean that Jesus also praises those who are dishonest? Certainly, no! It was not the dishonesty of the steward that was praised neither by the master in the story nor by Jesus but rather the ‘prudence’ of the steward.

    Let us look again how the steward acted prudently. The steward faced with a crisis, he was about to lose his job for being dishonest to his master. In his mind he couldn’t go on by becoming a labourer by digging or by begging. What he did, then, was to take away the commission that he would usually get from the debtors of his master. That is why he asked one debtor to make 50 for the one who owed 100 measures of oil and 80 for the other who owed 100 bushels of wheat. Surely, those debtors would be very happy of being unburdened of such debt. The steward had just thought about his future so that when he will be fired, there will be people who would hire him for a job out of gratitude to him.

    This is what Jesus tells us today, that as Christians, we are challenged to be prudent enough. We are challenged particularly in using and spending our material possessions in the hope of making our relationship with other people to be better. For this reason, we are called to be careful that we may not be ‘possessed’ by our own possessions which will only bring us into the danger of indifference and oppression towards the lowly and the poor.

    Consequently, we are also called to be fair and to be generous enough as we deal with those who are economically struggling. Thus, it would be a big help to support local vendors and local businesses, to buy products from local peddlers and show fairness with our own business too. Our material possessions can be best employed also in reaching out to others by feeding the hungry and clothing the naked especially those who are being affected recently by the super typhoon Rolly.

    Indeed, these are ways of recognizing God as the generous giver of graces. By being grateful to the Lord, may it move us then to be generous also to the needy. This is a way of building relationship with one another, building friendship and helping one another as a community of believers. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR