Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Tag: A Dose of God Today

  • King for us & with us.

    King for us & with us.

    November 22, 2020 – Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus, King of the Universe

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112220.cfm)

    Homily

    If you google the word: “Cristo Roto or Broken Christ” in the net, you will be led into a place in Aguascalientes, Mexico where there stood a massive 25 meters bronze statue of Christ above the city dam. Considered to be the 10th largest statue of Jesus in the world, what makes it special is that it is broken. An image of Crucified Jesus stand suspended without a cross, with a missing right arm and a snapped off leg. It was based on the story told about Fr. Ramon Cue who found a broken and desecrated crucifix in an antique shop, and bought it in view of restoring it for his parish. Once home however while in prayer before the broken Christ, Christ himself pleads to the priest that it to be left broken & not restored, so that it could stir in the priest & in his parishioners the need to both ‘see’ & ‘serve’ the broken Christ’s in their midst. Known now as Santuario del Cristo Roto (Santuary of the Broken Christ), the massive Broken Christ statue is a famous religious pilgrim and devotion site, and a popular stop for Mexican migrants crossing the US, where faithful considered it as a savior of the lost causes.

    Today is the Solemnity of Christ the King. Consider the image of Christ the King. Usually the image shows us all the symbol & promptings of honor and glory depicted proper & usual for a king (crown, thrown, orb, scepter & robe). But notice, what is most peculiar in the usual image of Cristo Rey are His exposed swelling inflamed heart & His barefoot. These peculiarities somehow highlight the distinction of Christ’s kingship from the usual human kings. Barefooted-king symbolizes Christ as a humble Shepherd king who is on-the-go, in-touch, and grounded in His people’s lives. Exposed swelling inflamed heart symbolizes Christ as the loving Lord King who is hands-on, feel with, empathizing, all-out, compassionate & merciful to us His people. Above all, both His open heart & exposed feet are reminders that our Lord & King Jesus Christ is a Broken, Suffered, Wounded yet Victorious & Glorious Servant King-Shepherd who still needs & longs for our praise & loving service with Him in our Father’s kingdom. A glorious King, indeed yet remains a broken Christ so that we may see & serve Him in our midst, in our day to day lives & thus, continue His work & contact-presence with us in life. A forever kingly yet still broken Christ in our midst.

    The kingship of Christ reminds us that, FOR US, God is our Shepherd king. For our sake, He choose to be our Shepherd King. Through our readings today, we recognize that like a good shepherd, Yahweh HIMSELF tends us His flock: a hands-on God-king who look after, tend, rescue, pasture, give rest, seek, bring back and heal us His people for the sake of  our salvation, fulfilled fully  (no more, no less) through the witness & shepherding of our Lord Jesus Christ. And on the day of Reckoning, Jesus will account & segregate the worthy from the unworthy (sheep among the goats) of eternal life with our Father.

    And the kingship of Christ reminds us as well that ALONG WITH US, God is our family or rather we are His family & His son Jesus is our brother who is mostly with the least of our family. In our gospel today, both the worthy & unworthy ask the Lord “When did we see you…?” His response is Ubi Caritas: loving service to others – “whatsoever you do to the least, that you do unto me”. In other word, Jesus is the “me in the least of our brothers/our family” – the broken Christ in our midst who needs our loving service. And how we treat Him in the least of us is the standard measurement of us to be worthy or unworthy of being & living with Yahweh, our Father.

    Christ’s kingship is thus expressed at its best & should be seen and served as our Lord Jesus, the Shepherd King FOR us, and the broken Christ WITH US, especially in the least of us in our midst.

    The solemnity of Christ the King marks the end of our liturgical year. Like in the airport’s pre-departure area, as we bid farewell to the pandemic year that has been & a prepare for the next year’s promise & challenges in our spiritual travel-journey, perhaps we ask ourselves:

    • How have I experienced God’s shepherding in my life this year? In what ways Jesus have tended, rescued, pastured, protected & healed me this year? How the Lord Jesus is for me & with me this year?
    • How did I participate & contribute in His shepherding of me & us all? What have I have done for Him? How have I been with Him, an obedient & faithful sheep OR a dumb-ass & hard-headed goat? What have I done to the least of my brothers? Have I been His frontliners who do something for those who are need at this time OR have I been a KAREN, a proud entitled jerk who complains a lot & carelessly put others lives at risk for undermining protocols & breaking guidelines? Have I recognized, “see & serve” Him in my life & in our midst?

    As we have a closer look of our life & mission as His flock & people, reimagine our being & living with God, and make some resolutions to do better in life & faith anew, may the lyrics of songs below inspire & guide us to be worthy of Our Christ the King in our midst. Amen.

    I MAY NEVER PASS THIS WAY AGAIN (Perry Como (1958))

    I’ll give my hand to those who cannot see, 
    The sunshine or the fallin’ rain.

    I’ll sing my song to cheer the weary along, 
    For I may never pass this way again!

    I’ll share my faith with every troubled heart, So I shall not have lived in vain.

    I’ll give my hand, I’ll sing my song, 
    I’ll share my faith, because I know, 
    That the time is now to fulfill each vow, 
    For I may never pass this way again!

    PAG-AALAY NG PUSO (Nemy Que, SJ)

    Minsan lamang ako daraan sa daigdig na ito.
    Kaya anuman ang mabuting maa’ring gawin ko ngayon.  O anumang kabutihan ang maari kong ipadama? Itulot ninyong magawa ko ngayon ang mga bagay na ‘to.

    Nawa’y h’wag ko ‘tong ipagliban o ipagwalang-bahala,
    Sapagkat ‘di na ‘ko muling daraan sa ganitong mga landas

  • A King Among Us, Broken and Wounded

    A King Among Us, Broken and Wounded

    November 22, 2020 – Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus, King of the Universe

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112220.cfm)

    Homily

    How would you imagine a king? Being influenced by fairy tales, 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 – 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 very distant king. A king who does not know the daily affairs of his people. A king who merely shows greatness, triumph and wealth.

    However, our readings today portray a different image of Christ the King. There was no mention of wealth, no gold and silver, no armies and weapons. Let us closely look the readings today.

    The first reading from the Book of Prophet Ezekiel has a very interesting background. The political and religious leaders who were supposed to guide and care for the people became irresponsible. They became corrupt and abusive. They were chosen by God to lead his people and uphold justice and promote peace. However, they turned into men who only hungered for power and wealth. The poor were exploited and the needy were abandoned. Hence, God became so upset with what they had done to the people. And so, God promised that he will be the one to personally care for his people as a Good Shepherd would do to his sheep.

    This gives us the image of a God who builds personal connection or relationship with his people. God searches for us when we are lost. God gives us rest and brings us to a safe and abundant place. He looks after us because each of us is so dear to Him.

    This promise of a faithful God gives us the assurance that God indeed is there for us all the time. For this reason, our psalm captured beautifully the feeling of being taken cared by God Himself – “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.” Yes, this is an attitude of a person who has become confident in God’s promise. Indeed, in God everything shall be fine, in him, all shall be well.

    This is what St. Paul has told us in his letter to the Corinthians “that God is everything to each of us.” It only means that God is there for us and accompanies us in our brokenness and difficulties. Yes, this Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe reminds us now that our King, our God is not far from us. He is not sitting on a golden throne or wrapped in a golden robe or guarded by a concrete golden palace or protected by security agents and royal guards. Our King is here with us, walking with us in our brokenness and woundedness. Our King has even identified himself to be among us and one of us, wounded and broken.

    The Gospel tells us about this. The King in the parable identifies himself with those people who are hungry and thirsty, who are naked, who are homeless, who are imprisoned, who are sick. Indeed, Jesus identifies himself with those who are broken and wounded.

    Let us not forget that the King-Servant who builds relationship with us, who shows concern and love to us also expects response from us. Jesus wants us to show to others especially to the least of our brothers and sisters the concern, mercy and love that we experienced from God.

    The best way of expressing our gratitude to Christ, of our reverence and love for him is in making our faith concrete through the “corporal works of mercy” by feeding the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, comforting the sick, welcoming the stranger, visiting the imprisoned – the very people to whom our King identifies himself.

    This is the invitation for us on today. It is in our ordinary life, in every day affairs of our life that we are called to respond to Christ the King of the Universe who has called us. The corporal works of mercy can be expressed through our common and ordinary dealings with members of our family, our friends, co-workers and even strangers we meet on the road especially when we are confronted with all their brokenness, wounds and needs.

    Christ the King rather chooses to be identified with a sick old man abandoned by his family, or a rejected and broken-hearted daughter or son who succumbed to drug or alcohol addiction, or to a person physically, mentally and sexually abused, or to a person affected fatally by the financial crisis brought by the pandemic, or to a physically and mentally drained medical front-liner, or to an infected person of Covid-19, a grieving family because of the death of a loved one, or to a family being displaced because of the recent disasters, or a person deprived of voice and freedom or to a friend who suffers depression, or a classmate who is being bullied.

    Christ calls us to see and encounter him through these people. Expand now our image of Christ the King. Rather than imagining him with gold and jewels, let us encounter the Lord among our needy brothers and sisters. Thus, take time to reach out to those who need our help, in ways that we can do. Hopefully, that encounter and the experience of reaching out to the needy, will bring us into the experience of encountering Christ through others. Hinaut pa.

  • Life and Living Life is to Give Life

    November 21, 2020 – Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112120.cfm)

    Homily

    This celebration of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary has no historical basis. This cannot be found even in the Gospel or in any letters of the New Testament. However, the Church has celebrated for more than a thousand years. There must be something so important and significant in this feast of Mary that moves us to celebrate it year after year.

    This tradition can actually be found in the unofficial scripture called as the Protoevangelium of James. Though this feast is not a historical event, but this is spiritually and theologically important for us. According to that scripture of James, the parents of Mary, Joachim and Anne offered their daughter to God in the Temple at the age of 3 years old. The action of Joachim and Anne was an expression of their gratitude to the Lord. This old couple who was given a daughter in their old age, offered back to God the very gift that they have received from God. The shame of having no child, as it was believed at that time, turned into joy at the birth of Mary.

    Certainly, this joy moved them to give. This was out of deep gratitude to the generosity and faithfulness of God in their life as husband and wife. This sacrifice and offering became the way in the consecration of the life of Mary to God. At a very young age, Mary became aware of God’s presence in her life which she first realized in the life of her parents. This tells us now how God transforms a sacrifice into something wonderful and beautiful. The life of Mary, became the beauty and the wonder that the world longed to see. Indeed, through Mary, a child was born for us, the Emmanuel. Through the life of Mary given to God, life was also given to us, through Jesus.

    This, feast then, actually prepares us to celebrate wonderfully the Solemnity of Her Immaculate Conception and the Birth of her Son, Jesus. That is why, this feast is so significant to us. What we honor after all, is God who consecrated the life of Mary and from whom we too are being blessed.

    Through this feast, we are reminded today that life is not about accumulating things or securing something for oneself. Life and living life is to be able to give life which Joachim and Anne did and which Mary did and ultimately which Jesus did to us.

    This is contrary to what the Pharisees and teachers of the law wanted to happen. They were so concerned on what they could get from others in this life. That is why, they asked a malicious question to Jesus, to trick him and embarrass him. Yet, Jesus knew their hearts. They were filled with malice and selfish desires. This attitude reflected in the very situation they presented to Jesus, of a woman marrying the seven brothers when one after another died without having any child.

    Today on this feast of Mary, as we live life day by day, be more life-giving.

    Thus, as husband and wife, give back to God your marriage life and make God the very center of your marriage so that you will be able to give life to your children and to the community around you. As a family, give to God your joys even your sacrifices and pains so that God can transform you into blessing to others.  As a professional, give to God your work, your passion and even your and failures so that God will bless you to be an inspiration to your co-workers.  As a young person and as a student, give to God your struggles, your dreams, hopes and even your fears and anxieties of the future so that you become an influencer of confidence and trust in God. As a senior citizen, offer to God your good old days, including your good and bad memories, offer your routine and even your illness and uncertainties in life so that you become a witness of God’s faithfulness and generosity. Hinaut pa.

  • When sweetness has turned sour

    When sweetness has turned sour

    November 20, 2020 – Friday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112020.cfm)

    Homily

    We must be familiar with a relationship that was so affectionate and loving at the beginning yet has turned cold and abusive later on. We must be familiar also of a friendship that from its fun-loving adventures and source of comfort outside home has become a source of insults, gossips and slandering. There are also organizations that had been inspired to make a difference in the lives of others through service and charity but has become a source of fraud. Elected leaders too could be so promising at the beginning yet later on has become a lapdog and corrupt.

    On a personal level, we could have done something good and enjoyable for ourselves as a way of coping, yet, that something could develop into a bad habit and even into an addiction. These are images and situations of something good and sweet at the beginning but through time has become sour.

    What could have gone wrong? There must be something wrong along the way. This is something that we must recognize in order to warn ourselves and bring our hearts and minds into the center, into God, whose voice echoes today to call us back.

    The Book of Revelation tells us about this. John, in his vision saw an angel and was told to take and eat a small scroll. John was told, “Take and swallow it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey.”

    John tells us of God’s word and promise to us. Indeed, as the Psalm proclaims today, “How sweet to my taste is your promise!” However, for those who turned unfaithful and indifferent towards God’s word and promise will taste a bitter and sour judgment. God also will hold us accountable for what we have done with our life and with our neighbors.

    This is what we have heard in today’s Gospel. The Temple that was built as a house of prayer was turned into a den of thieves. Merchants and others who made business and profit in the temple area desecrated the house of God. They took advantage of those who went to pray there. Just imagine, the businessmen at that time put a high price on every item but with a low exchange rate of money. They made agreement with the Temple authorities where only the animals sold inside the temple area will be accepted as offering and only temple money was accepted in buying and selling. Thus, people needed to change their Roman coin into a temple coin but for a low exchange.

    These businessmen had surely made profit out of the ignorance of the poor. What they were doing was a plain stealing. With this, Jesus was furious. Jesus expressed his righteous anger over these people who became indifferent and profit-oriented. And so, Jesus drove them out of the temple, in the same way he drove out demons from those who were possessed.

    All of this happened not just because of one person or few people but because of many who turned a blind eye to what was unjust and abusive. Many have become indifferent and accepted such abuses and corruption as part of their way of life.

    However, for Jesus, enough is enough! There is an end to everything that is evil and unjust. The righteous anger of God will be delivered upon us. Yet, God’s anger will be a time of renewal and cleansing of our hearts. It is a time of centering and focusing our gaze on Jesus, the merciful Lord.

    Thus, we are invited that as we end this week – to recognize our attitudes that has become indifferent thus leading us to develop forms of addictions or bad habits. Look at our various efforts including our work-attitude in our workplaces and in our ministry if we have yielded also to apathy and abuses. Look at our relationship with one another and with God if we have become cold and sour because of our self-centered heart and self-absorbed ego.

    Let us allow now the Lord to call us and challenge us. Let his voice be heard into our hearts and conscience as we strive to live today to be more like Jesus. Hinaut pa.

  • Why do we worship? Who should we worship?

    Why do we worship? Who should we worship?

    November 18, 2020 – Wednesday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111820.cfm)

    Homily

    We can be in the Church the whole day but not worshipping. We can be kneeling during the whole hour but not worshipping. We can be singing in the Church but not really worshipping. We can be in a particular ministry but not worshipping God at all.

    Why do we really worship God? To worship God is to express our belief and to live what we believed. Worshipping the Lord our God is a celebration of God’s gift of Himself to us. Jesus as the very image of the Father, is God’s ultimate gift of presence to us.

    Moreover, to worship the Lord is not just limited in our worship services in the Church. Worship is basically a way of life. The way we live our life according to God’s desire is an essential part of our personal and community worship.

    The Book of Revelation tells us of the right attitude of worship. The twenty-four elders, who can be the representation of the twelve sons of Israel and the twelve apostles, are worshipping the one who sits on the throne, the Lord our God.

    John also described to us how they worshipped the Lord our God. The elders who were honored greatly in heaven, have thrown down their crowns before the throne to exclaim the glory, the honor and the power of God. This means that these elders did not cling to their own crowns but letting them go to worship the giver of their crowns.

    Thus, when we learn to let go of our own glory, of our achievements and successes, then we also learn to truly worship the Lord our God who is the source of everything that is good. To worship God, then, is actually to celebrate also our life, to celebrate our giftedness, to celebrate who God is and what God has done to us.

    Besides, worship allows us to focus on the Lord. That is why, even when we are in pain and confused, in worship, we re-channel our gaze from bitterness to God who strengthens us. In worshipping God, we regain our balance by reminding ourselves that we are unworthy of God’s grace yet, we are blessed because we are loved.

    This is what we also find in today’s Gospel, in the Parable of the Ten Gold Coins. Those who truly worship the Lord are those who are productive and fruitful in their lives. The servants who used well the gifts given to them have lived and celebrated wonderfully the King’s gifts.

    However, the unproductive servant lived in fear. He decided to hide the gifts given to him because he was afraid. He was afraid actually of losing them, because he could not let go of those, so he kept them. As a result, this servant turned to worship his fears because he lived in fear. This was how he lost the opportunity to celebrate life, to celebrate his gifts and to celebrate with the King.

    Each of us today, we are called to truly worship God by living not in fear or in bitterness or in our arrogance or in our personal glory but by living and celebrating our life with God.

    Thus, as we come to church and proceed with our daily affairs, let us also remind ourselves that we worship the Lord our God and not some other “gods,” that we worship the Lord by living honestly and generously, that we worship God by celebrating life and we worship God by making God’s presence more alive in us.

    Let us be inspired today through Mary, Our Mother of Perpetual Help, so that like her, our decisions in life including our words and actions may become our very worship to God. Hinaut pa.