Category: Weekday Homilies

August 21, 2019 – Wednesday; Memorial of St. Pius X, pope

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (20:1-16)

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o’clock,
he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.’
So they went off. 
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o’clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o’clock,
he found others standing around, and said to them,
‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’
They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’
He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with the first.’
When those who had started about five o’clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,
but each of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
‘These last ones worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us,
who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’
He said to one of them in reply,
‘My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?’
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Homily

The Pharisees, Sadducees, lawyers and priests represented the group of people in the Jewish society who believed so much of their righteousness. Among them and the common people, there was a clear distinction in terms of social status. Because of their standing, they could display an indifferent attitude towards those who were considered lower in status. These low class people include women, children and particularly, the poor, the sick, the disabled and public sinners.

Moreover, Pharisees, Sadducees, lawyers and priests believed that their superiority made them deserving of all God’s goodness and graces. Thus, these people loved to be praised and recognized. This is the reason why they cannot accept the teaching of Jesus that others could also experience God’s goodness. They even despised Jesus for offering God’s forgiveness and gift of healing to the poor, the sick, and sinners. They despised Him because they believed that God’s grace is reserved for them alone.

This tendency to accumulate praises and demand for greater reward because of the good qualities we have, only poisons our hearts and relationships. It makes our heart unwelcoming to others who need more than us.

This is what we find in the Gospel. It teaches us how God treat all of us, showing concern and compassion.

The parable speaks of the generosity of the landowner towards the workers. The first ones who were hired on that day felt jealous with those who were hired at the last hour. The first ones worked the whole day and the last ones worked only for an hour. But then, they all received the same wage according to the agreed wage for that whole day work.

The first ones were disappointed because they thought that those who only worked for one hour did not deserve for that wage.  Since they worked hard, they should be above them and those who worked less should not be treated like them. But then, for the landowner, if he will not give the usual wage for those who were hired last, then the food that they will bring for their families will not be enough. They will starve on that day. It means that the parable actually is not about labor issues but of God’s generosity to each of us.

Indeed, this is what we believe that when we are more gifted than the others, more intelligent, more gwapo or gwapa then we should have more; and those who are lesser than us should have less. When we feel that we are more righteous and religious, going to church and saying the rosary daily and regular novena to Mary, we might think that we are far better than those who don’t go to church and do not pray.

Unconsciously, we also become the Pharisees who do not have the sympathy for those who are struggling in life. The poor, the sick and the weak sinners at the time of Jesus can be today’s young people who have been addicted to drugs, or to alcohol, sex or gambling not because they are bad but because of family problems, broken relationships, traumatic experiences, and low self-esteem. They can also be our friends or family members whom we continually bully because they are weaklings, untalented and less intelligent than us.

But remember, God relates to us not merely because of the effort that we did but because of “who we are” to him. God is good to us not because we are deserving but because God is so good and generous. We are all loved by him no matter what, no matter how big our failures were, no matter how serious our sins were.

Thus, for those who have worked hard, for those who have been so faithful to God this gospel is not meant to discourage you of working hard, for doing your daily devotion, but this is meant for us to know that God is generous also towards those who are less fortunate. And we have the role to lift up those who are less fortunate in this life. For those of us who felt that we are lesser beings, felt unworthy because of our mistakes, failures and sins – this Gospel is truly good news for us because God tells us today that we too are blessed because we are loved.

I would like to give you an assignment today. Identify in your circle of friends or family and relatives those who feel low, who believed that they are not deserving of anything good in this life… once you have recognized them, approach them and tell them that they too are loved. That they can find support in you, in your other friends and family members. Let us lift one another together especially those who need it more. In this way, we will become God’s reflection of generosity and love to others. Hinaut pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR

August 17, 2019 – Saturday of the 19^th Week in Ordinary Time

From the Book of Joshua (24:14-29)

Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem,
and addressed them, saying:
“Fear the LORD and serve him completely and sincerely.
Cast out the gods your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt,
and serve the LORD.
If it does not please you to serve the LORD,
decide today whom you will serve,
the gods your fathers served beyond the River
or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling.
As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

But the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the LORD
for the service of other gods.
For it was the LORD, our God,
who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt,
out of a state of slavery.
He performed those great miracles before our very eyes
and protected us along our entire journey and among all the peoples
through whom we passed.
At our approach the LORD drove out all the peoples,
including the Amorites who dwelt in the land.
Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”

Joshua in turn said to the people,
“You may not be able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God;
he is a jealous God who will not forgive
your transgressions or your sins.
If, after the good he has done for you,
you forsake the LORD and serve strange gods,
he will do evil to you and destroy you.”

But the people answered Joshua, “We will still serve the LORD.”
Joshua therefore said to the people,
“You are your own witnesses that you have chosen to serve the LORD.”
They replied, “We are, indeed!”
Joshua continued:
“Now, therefore, put away the strange gods that are among you
and turn your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.”
Then the people promised Joshua,
“We will serve the LORD, our God, and obey his voice.”

So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day
and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem,
which he recorded in the book of the law of God.
Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak
that was in the sanctuary of the LORD.
And Joshua said to all the people, “This stone shall be our witness,
for it has heard all the words which the LORD spoke to us.
It shall be a witness against you, should you wish to deny your God.”
Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to his own heritage.

After these events, Joshua, son of Nun, servant of the LORD,
died at the age of a hundred and ten.

From the Gospel of Matthew (19:13-15)

Children were brought to Jesus
that he might lay his hands on them and pray.
The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said,
“Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them;
for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
After he placed his hands on them, he went away.

Homily

Children are very special to Jesus because the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them. Even though at that time, people believed that children have no social significance and status. Children do not have anything to play in the Jewish society. This was the reason why the disciples tried to stop those who brought the children near Jesus. The disciples believed that there was no reason for Jesus to waste his time with these insignificant children.

However, what we have heard from the Gospel was the other way around. Jesus made that event to teach something to the people. He emphasized the qualities of children who are dependent to adults. This reveals that children are more open and trusting to people around them. They are open to the surprises of God. Thus, their humility and simplicity make them also sensitive to God’s presence.

In today’s readings we are invited to dwell on both qualities of children, of their weakness and strength from which we adults could greatly learn. So, I want you to remember these two characteristics, the attitudes of being childish and childlike.

Being “childish” reveals our negative and selfish attitudes. A child can throw up tantrums when he/she will not get what he/she wants. When this happens, a child cries aloud and would even scream on the spot particularly when there are more people around. This is unconsciously by a child to draw attention. This attitude is an unconscious form of control and manipulation towards a parent until the parent gives in to what the child wants.

Being childish is being selfish to get what we want no matter how unfair that would be to others. Being childish only focuses on what “satisfies me” – for self-satisfaction and on what “I can gain”- for self-promotion. Thus, being childish prevents us to “listen” to what is more important. It also prevents us to believe and to accept other ideas because we are already convinced of our own judgments and beliefs.

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This is what our first reading from the Book of Joshua tells us. Joshua reminded the people to “put away the strange gods that were among them.” The tendency of the people to seek strange gods other the true God was a form of selfishness. They sought the gods of their foreign neighbors because they believed that those gods can satisfy their wants and desires. And because God’s way is difficult and different so the people would choose an easy one.

This happens also to us when we opt to choose our personal desires rather than God’s desires, or when we choose to trust our human will and understanding rather than God’s wisdom, or when we desire to become dependent with our addictions and compulsive behaviors rather than God’s invitation for us to be free.

Being childish makes us blind to what God shows us and to what is happening around us today. We refuse to see the suffering of others because we tend to only see ourselves. This attitude would also make us deaf to what God is telling us now. It makes us deaf to the many cries of those who are continually killed, murdered, abused and oppressed because we only tend to listen to our own cry for self-satisfaction.

Hence, Jesus calls us to put away our strange gods and those childish attitudes in us and to become childlike. A person who is childlike listens and discerns to God’s desires. It means that despite our insecurities and anxieties in life, we put our trust in the generosity of God. It also requires that we grow in our confidence with God.

And when we learn these, then, we allow ourselves to be surprised by God because we become open and welcoming of God’s presence. Our sensitivity to God’s presence shall move us too to become aware of the needs of others which makes us self-giving and life-giving to others, a true quality of being childlike. Hinuat pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR

August 14, 2019 – Wednesday 19^th Week in Ordinary Time

From the Gospel of Matthew (18:15-20)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“If your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
If he does not listen, 
take one or two others along with you,
so that  every fact may be established
on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church.
If he refuses to listen even to the Church,
then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Amen, I say to you,
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth
about anything for which they are to pray,
it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.”

Homily

When someone hurts you, what usually is your automatic response? Do you express angry words and curse the person? Plant hate and grudge over that person? Or retaliate and take your revenge? Or retreat and distance yourself from the person?

I remember when I was younger, the environment that I was growing up facilitated and promoted an attitude that takes revenge when we are hurt by others. Thus, when a child hurts himself/herself even by accident, the adults around the child would encourage the child to hit back and take revenge.

I have observed this when my niece was growing up too. Once, when she was running all around the house, she banged herself with a chair. Because of the pain she felt, she made a loud cry. All of us around her rushed towards her. Habitually, we also told her to hit back the chair so that she can take her revenge. We told her that if she hits back then the pain will be gone. And so, she obediently did so and after that stop crying as if there was no more pain.

However, this seemingly simple attitude taught towards a child was a terrible way of teaching Christian values particularly in confronting pain and sin. What we taught would facilitate later a feeling to the person that it is in taking revenge or causing another pain to others that peace and reconciliation will be achieved. Of course not! What will happen will be the beginning of the cycle of more pain and violence towards the self and towards others.

This is the reason why Jesus calls us today to treat differently a situation like this. In today’s gospel, Jesus is very clear that when somebody hurts us or sins against us, we are called to confront the person in a friendly manner. This is done with the intention of making the person realize the wrong that was done. A great amount of patience and compassion is needed for us because it is not easy to confront a person who have hurt us.

What is beautiful in this manner is the attitude being shown towards those who have hurt us. It has no malice or violent intention. Rather, this attitude affirms the presence of God that dwells in us and among us. Consequently, Jesus assures us today that where two or three are gathered in his name, he will be in their midst.

This is an invitation also to recognize that the Emmanuel, the Lord who us with us, is truly present. When we also recognize the Lord in the presence of others, then, this calls us to show our respect and compassion to the person because it helps to accept that this person is my brother and is my sister.

So, we may ask ourselves again. How do I react when somebody sins against me? Do I react the way I reacted when I was child? Do I react to take revenge or retreat into indifference? Do I linger on the pain and hatred? Or do I respond maturely following what Jesus calls us to do?

Hopefully, our devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, may remind us that our gathering today as a community is a manifestation that God is truly present in us. And may it bring us inspiration and movement in making ourselves more open to the invitations of Jesus for us. Hinaut pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR