Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Year 2

  • THE LORD IS IN OUR MIDST

    THE LORD IS IN OUR MIDST

    May 31, 2022 – Feast of the Visitation

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/053122.cfm)

    St. Luke described to us the visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. He included this story in his Gospel to bring a message to a particular Christian community to which Luke was in-charge. What we can learn from this particular passage of the Gospel of Luke is the role of Mary in the Christian Community.

     Even at that early stage of the Christian faith, Mary had already become a mother and a model to every disciple of the Lord. Mary who received the Lord in her womb and in her whole life manifested in her actions the wonders of God done unto her. She became a model of charity and service to others which is an expression of bringing the Lord to others. This is clear enough in Mary’s willing heart to help her cousin, Elizabeth.

    The exchange of greetings between these two women was the amazing thing we find in the Gospel. Luke described to us how the baby in the womb of Elizabeth leaped with joy upon hearing the voice of Mary. Mary, the THEOTOKOS or bearer of God, brought such great joy to Elizabeth and to her baby in the womb.

    Mary’s visit was certainly God’s visitation to Elizabeth, to her baby and to Zechariah.  God visited them through Mary. Definitely, Elizabeth was filled with gratitude not just to Mary but to God especially. This is what we find in her greetings, “blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” This tells us that even the unborn child can feel the presence of God. An unborn child can also give assurance of God’s presence to others. This is wonderful!

    Thus, on this feast of the Visitation, we who are disciples of the Lord are reminded to be like Mary, to be charitable in our words and actions, to be aware of those who are in need of assistance, to be at the service of others especially those who are most in need of our help. In that way, we bring the Lord to them, we let others feel God’s presence through us.

    Each of us has that capacity to bring God’s presence to others. The Lord is with us, he is with you and with me. The Lord is in our midst, as the Book of the Prophet Zephaniah tells us.

    As Christians we are called to make a stand and to be aware of what is happening around us – not just within our small community but also in the wider picture of our society. It means that we are called to be socially aware and not to remain indifferent to the difficulties of our sisters and brothers. That is why, when we are indifferent to the difficulties of others, there is surely something wrong with our Christian life. It is good then to ask ourselves, “how socially aware am I to the plight of others, or am I totally indifferent and unmoved by the sufferings of others?”

    And so, in concrete terms and in small ways, a challenge is given to us. It would be good then to remember those people whom we have not visited for a long time. Visit them if possible. Remember also those people we know who will surely need our help, or recognize the people around us who need help from us in one way or another. In hope, we may be able to let them feel God’s presence through us, through our generous words and service. Kabay pa.

  • NOT ALONE

    NOT ALONE

    May 30, 2022 – Monday Seventh  Week of Easter

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/053022.cfm)

    People who are severely ill, those who are haunted by their traumatic experiences, and those who suffer chronic depression would mostly agonize the feeling of being alone and lonely. At the height of this pandemic, when infections were so high, the pandemic left many individuals to that feeling of being alone. The isolations and lockdowns, no movements and Enhanced Community Quarantines increased the anxiety and fear to many of us.

    To feel alone, indeed, is a terrible feeling. It makes a day no matter how bright it would be, to be so dark. Even though many people will surround us physically, this feeling detaches us from their presence. This explains how a person who is alone and lonely would compensate that feeling by having many distractions as a way of coping and entertaining oneself.

    Yet, this causes people to be so sad and depressed. How much more if physically people will leave us alone? If someone we love and so dear to you would just go away and leave us? Then, this would be a horrible feeling.

    People who work away from their family would also feel being alone. They cannot help it but work from a far to give more opportunities for their family and for the children especially. Yet, as a consequence, they have to endure such loneliness for their sake in the case of migrant workers.

    In the Gospel today, Jesus reminded us of his conviction of the presence of his Father. Jesus knew that his disciples would abandon him when he will undergo his passion. The disciples will retreat and hide because of fear even though that would mean that Jesus will be left alone to suffer and die.

    However, Jesus was filled with confidence that his Father will never abandon him. Hence, the Father was there with Jesus even at the cross where Jesus felt being abandoned.

    Today, Jesus wants us to have the same conviction and confidence. Indeed, we are never alone. The Lord is with us, always with us. This is the promise of Jesus to us today.

    Thus, when we feel alone, let it be known that we are never alone. When a terrible sickness hits us, when a traumatic experience haunts us, when depression bothers us, remember, God is with us.

    Those of us who are away from home and away from our families, Jesus comforts us that he is always with us. Today, we can say, “I am not alone.” Kabay pa.

  • GOD OF ALL, AS IN ALL

    GOD OF ALL, AS IN ALL

    March 21, 2022 – Monday of the Third Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032122.cfm)

    God is for everyone. God does not belong to any particular race, culture or any group of people. Hence, no one can monopolize God. This also means that we cannot monopolize grace. And it is impossible to monopolize the gift of salvation because God’s nature is wider than what we can imagine or think of.

    This is what Jesus wanted to realize for his townspeople. There in Nazareth, when he went home, Jesus tried to open the minds and hearts of his friends and neighbors to know God better. The people seemed to only understand that the Lord God only belongs to the Jewish people. This was such a narrow-minded belief about the Lord God.

    Yet, this narrow-minded awareness of God led people to nurture hatred and violence against people whom they thought would not agree with them. This, basically, happened to Jesus. When Jesus began to teach them that God is for all, people began to turn sour. When Jesus made them aware of the story of a widow in Zarephath and Naaman, the Syrian, who despite being non-believers, were also favored by God’s grace, the people took offense.

    Jesus told the people of what the Holy Scriptures revealed to them, yet, his own people were more unbelieving than the non-believers themselves. The people could not accept what Jesus taught them. They only wanted to believe what they liked to believe. This was the reason why they rejected Jesus teaching and Jesus himself as well. This was also the reason why they became furious when Jesus confronted them of their false belief and selective memory. Thus, the unbelieving and unwelcoming hearts of the people, indeed, turned them hateful and violent. They drove Jesus out of Nazareth and wanted to throw him down from the hill.

    However, God remains for all. God’s grace, God’s call of conversion and God’s gift of salvation is offered for all as Psalm 130:7 says, “For the Lord is mercy, with him is plenteous redemption.”

    Gospel verse for today

    Today, Jesus is also challenging us and inviting us to confront our narrow-mindedness and selective memory of things. Jesus calls us to be welcoming and to always have a heart that desires to know God better. May we also grow to become a welcoming and a true believing community. Hinaut pa.

  • ENVY DEVOURS US

    ENVY DEVOURS US

    March 18, 2022 – Friday of the Second Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031822.cfm)

    We must be familiar with rivalry among siblings. To us children, there would be some occasions where we felt that we are more loved by our parents than the rest of our siblings. Or it could be the other way around, we could also feel that we are receiving lesser love and attention from our parents. This happens when we are being compared from our sibling who excels in his/her studies, who is more talented and more responsible than us. This can really be a pain. A deep wound could sometimes be created deep within our heart because of constant comparison that we receive at home. This is also how relationships among our siblings are being stretched until a gap of indifference and mutual bitterness arise. Hatred, even, begins to boil within us.

    In the Book of Genesis, we were told that “Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age.” These are the first words from the first reading today. Yet, that love of Israel towards his youngest son, became the reason for deep envy of his other sons.

    That envy deep within the hearts of Joseph’s brothers must have come from their belief that their brother did not deserve such love. In that culture before, the youngest was considered to be the least and the less important. The brothers must have claimed that they deserved more than him. This was how their envy consumed them to the point that their thoughts and actions became violent and vicious against their youngest brother.

    Though Reuben and Judah tried to save the life of their brother, yet, not one of them stoop up and confronted the evil that they were planning. They could not because they were into it already.

    This tells us that when we become envious of others, we will tend to get aggressively what we wanted. Our selfish ambition and intentions will lead us to corrupt and evil practices, such as in deceiving and manipulating others. 

    Such attitude only portrays a self-image that is dominating, powerful and that must be considered a master who is above everybody else. However, this attitude would consider others as lesser and not important. It is in fact a boastful self, arrogant and vain, but deep within, insecure and filled with bitterness.

    This is what we have heard also from the Gospel. The parable was not actually about labor issues but about the bitterness and aggression showed by the tenants in the parable against the servants and to the son of the landowner. The tenants, who were actually the chief priests and Pharisees, have become self-entitled and believed that they were the only deserving people of God’s salvation. Their hearts that have become envious, bitter and ambitious also became unwelcoming, greedy and vicious.

    Like the brothers of Joseph, they too began to plan evil things against Jesus. They wanted to arrest him and kill him. And indeed, this happened to Jesus. But then, their evil thoughts and evil plans cannot and will not defeat God’s power to bring salvation and freedom to all.

    As Joseph also became the savior of his own brothers during the great drought and famine, Jesus also through his resurrection proved that evil has no match with the wonder of what love can do.

    Thus, as we continue to journey in this Season of Lent, let our hearts be overwhelmed, not by our envy towards others, but by our love and affection towards one another. May we be able to repair any gap of indifference and heal any mutual bitterness with our siblings and with our friends. Hinaut pa.

  • TO HOPE AND FIND SECURITY IN THE LORD

    TO HOPE AND FIND SECURITY IN THE LORD

    March 17, 2022 – Thursday of the Second Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031722.cfm)

    In the first reading, Jeremiah highlights the choices put before each of us – either, to trust only in the goods of this created world OR to hope in the Lord, who is Creator and Provider of all good. A reminder for us in our Psalm.

    Where do we turn now for our inner security, peace, and forgiveness? Remember, the human heart can be devious. Despite our best intentions, self-interest would always immediately come first! Only God can give us a “new heart and new spirit”, cleanse our inner most intentions and being; changing our hardened and stony hearts with hearts of flesh. [Ez. 34:5].[1]

    This is something being elaborated to us in today’s Gospel. The rich man in the Gospel story enjoyed his life and trusted only the goods of this world while the poor Lazarus suffered very much outside his gate. However, there was a turn of events when both of them died. The rich man, who pretended not to see the poor situation of Lazarus ended in hell while Lazarus was carried by the angels.

    The Gospel reminds us that indeed, success and security in life is not about being what we have accumulated or about the material possession that we have amassed. We are only truly successful and secured when we have built lasting and true relationships with people around us and with God.

    Yet, the sin of the rich man was not by being materially rich but by becoming indifferent and blind to the suffering of people around him. He was blinded by his possessions and was not able to see and recognize that Lazarus was suffering. He did not even offer any help to the poor man. The rich man had no relationship whatsoever with Lazarus. He was only being possessed by his possessions. He hoped and trusted only his wealth and himself.

    This was how the rich man had grown ungrateful to God for the gifts he received in his lifetime. He was ungrateful because he felt entitled that only him should enjoy the richness in his life. He did not open his eyes and hands to give others a chance to live a better life through his help.

    Thus, when we become ungrateful we also take for granted the giver of gifts, and thus, the presence of God in our life. Jeremiah puts this in this way, “Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the LORD.”

    This happens to us as well when we remain ungrateful and refuse to recognize that everything we have is a gift. Be cursed to us, indeed, when we become ungrateful for we also become self-entitled, demanding in our relationships. Yet, stingy of our time and energy and ungenerous of our resources and presence to those who are asking for our help. And most of all, we become indifferent to people around us and indifferent to God, the source of true hope and security in our life.

    Thus, as Jeremiah reminds us, let us find security and assurance in God’s goodness and faithfulness. This is what it means to hope in the Lord that makes our heart grow and be filled with gratitude. Hinaut pa.

    [1] From the homily of Fr. Manoling Thomas, CSsR