Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Tag: Homilies

  • When God Visits Us 

    When God Visits Us 

    November 17, 2022 – Thursday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111722.cfm)

    How conscious am I of God’s many visits? Certainly, the Lord visits us because God desires that we shall be blessed by His divine presence. Yet, we could be more preoccupied with many things in life that we would take for granted God’s visits or not fully aware of His presence in us. The demands in our work, responsibilities at home or our studies or some other issues and concerns could sometimes be overwhelming that we lose the time to be more sensitive of God’s presence and even of the presence of people around us. The Lord, surely, comes to us and appears in ways that can be so ordinary and in ways we do not expect.

    This is what we have received in today’s Gospel. Luke described to us how Jesus wept over Jerusalem because its people did not recognize that the Lord has already come and visited them. Jesus was constantly rejected because his appearance was not the way they expected it to be. The Messiah was believed to come majestically, with countless armies who shall defeat all enemies of Israel.

    Let us remember, that this Gospel of Luke was also already written after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. The Jews were shocked and in turmoil because of such abomination. Luke reminds us that our rejection of God leads us to misery and separation from the grace of God.

    Hence, the Lord wept because he felt sad on how the people responded with cruelty and rejection against him. God only desires our freedom and salvation through our friendship with Him. However, we could be more focused on many things other than what God is offering us. Yet, the Lord is never tired of visiting us and letting us know that he has come to visit us, to offer his friendship with us and bring us into freedom, into peace and fullness of life.

    This is where we also find God’s invitation for us today. The Lord continues to reach out to us, to visit us and to let us know that he is with us. God’s presence in our life will surely enrich our Christian faith as well as our relationships and daily affairs. It is our hope that as we carry things, we too shall grow in our awareness of God’s presence and let that divine presence give a significant impact into our daily life. There are at least three simple things I would like you to remember to grow in our awareness of God’s visits.

    First, begin your day in prayer. There is no need for a long and wordy prayer but at least spend a moment of silence to recognize the Lord and his invitations for us day by day.

    Second, bring the Lord with you. Whether you are going for work, for school or staying at home be aware that the Lord is with you. The Lord is not just in our moments of prayers or on Sundays in the Church. Allow the presence of the Lord to be there intertwined in your work, studies and house chores.

    Third, recognize the Lord with people around you. This might be quite challenging especially when we encounter an annoying workmate, a bully at school, a problematic family member or an unjust person during the day. However, in any and in every situation, the Lord calls us to recognize him and respond to his invitations. In such a way, such awareness of God’s presence will help us to respond in compassion, in love, in showing concern or perhaps standing up for what is right and just, in defending the weak and in denouncing what is evil and unjust present in our community. Kabay pa.

  • How do I respond to God?

    How do I respond to God?

    November 16, 2022 – Wednesday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111622.cfm)

    There are three kinds of people in today’s parable of Jesus. In each, the Lord calls us to identify ourselves and draws us to be converted to him if we would find ourselves with those who were far from the Lord and did not respond to God’s invitations.

    The first are those who rejected the king. These people despised the nobleman that they even sent a delegation to declare their rejection of the king. However, these were same people who wanted to claim the throne. They wanted to rule, gain control and power for themselves. Yet, at the end, when the king finally returned they were slayed and died.

    This tells us that our total rejection of God’s friendship and salvation and of our desire to become like “god” means death to us. It is only in embracing the Lord who has come to be with us that we also find the fullness of life and not in being separated from God and from others.

    The second are the servants who responded well to the king. They listened and did what the king commanded them. As a result, they became fruitful and were rewarded generously by the king. These servants proved that even in small matters they can be trusted.

    This is a response that comes from faith and of the awareness of God’s generosity in us. Each of us is gifted and a steward of God’s gifts. Our faith as well as our person must also grow and become mature that we may become fruitful and productive. This will be evident in our relationships and in our way of life as Christians who invest in kindness and goodness, in concern and love, in understanding and community building.

    The third were those who retreated in fear but indifferent. They were represented by the servant who did nothing after receiving the gold coin. He rather retreated in fear and hid. Indeed, the servant showed no response, unmotivated, unenthusiastic and unchallenged. His reason was fear of losing yet he also remained unproductive and un-creative.

    Fear is therefore not the right attitude towards God and faith. The spirit of God gives us the confidence and strength yet when fear paralyzes us to become the person God wants us to be, then, this is not from God. The Lord continually calls us to overcome that fear and embrace rather the confidence and strength that God gives us.

    We now ask ourselves, how do I respond to God? What do I make of my faith? How do I relate with people? What do I do with the talents, potentials and responsibilities I have?

    As we are led today to see and recognize our failures, we may also come closer to the Lord who calls us to be productive, to become mature and to become more welcoming of his many invitations for us. Kabay pa.

  • Being Lukewarm leads to death

    Being Lukewarm leads to death

    November 15, 2022 – Tuesday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111522.cfm)

    When a heart becomes “lukewarm,” it is neither moved nor affected in any way from what is happening around. A lukewarm-heart becomes indifferent, denying or incapable of understanding others and seeing others or worst no compassion towards others. It is equivalent to say that we have become “numbed and insensitive.” This leads to spiritual death and deaths to our relationships with people, disconnected with what surrounds us.

    This is what John confronted in today’s first reading calling out the Christians in Sardis and Laodicea who were neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm. They seemed to have lost the spirit or denied perhaps the spirit of God among them because of the challenging and difficult circumstances. Moreover, another reason was the affluence they have experienced. The Christians became rich, comfortable and gained influence that they thought they have no need of anything not even God. This was a clear denial of God and made the self to be at the center.

    This what made the first Christians in these cities to be lukewarm for they were neither anymore moved nor challenged by the Gospel and by the needs and sufferings of their neighbors. The SELF has become the most important. Comfort, material riches and influence intoxicated the self to the point that they have become detached.

    Yet, John expressed his love for these people and did not want to lose them. Hence, John said, “For those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.” John called them again because he wanted to gather them and to let the Lord work more wonders with these people.

    This is how we also witnessed the conversion of Zacchaeus in the Gospel. Zacchaeus who were unmoved by the difficulties of his fellow Jews over the high taxes imposed on them, finally found meaning in his life. Though Zacchaeus tried to look for Jesus, but little did he know that the Lord was first looking out for him. Jesus was in search for Zacchaeus because the Lord has a surprise for him.

    We heard that as soon as Jesus saw Zacchaeus from a tree, Jesus called him by name and declared to bring blessings into the home of Zacchaeus. This encounter was not merely a meeting of the two, but it was the Lord’s way of letting Zacchaeus know his own pains and suffering, his own sins and failures, yet, the Lord remains all-embracing and forgiving. This moved Zacchaeus very much and found himself once again, loved and forgiven.

    Such encounter also made Zacchaeus to come closer to the Lord that as a sign of his own conversion, he offered to repay those whom he extorted. The presence of Jesus in his house is God’s presence indwelling. Freedom and life has come to Zacchaeus and to his household.

    The Lord also invites us today to allow him to confront us when we have become lukewarm, unmoved, unmotivated and unenthusiastic. Like Zacchaeus may we find forgiveness and the fullness of life in Jesus and in our true human relationships and not in our personal comforts, not in our affluence and not in our successes. Kabay pa.

  • THE END OF TIME IS A JOYFUL ONE

    THE END OF TIME IS A JOYFUL ONE

    November 13, 2022 – 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111322.cfm)

    How would the end of time look like? What would happen to us and to the world? When the pandemic struck us in 2020, I have friends who really asked if that was the beginning of the end of time. Even in social media sites and radio stations, there were people who entertain such thought because of the massive anxiety it caused us and the millions of the lives lost in this pandemic growing daily. Indeed, it was terrifying and horrifying seeing dead bodies of covid patients wrapped and buried in mass graves in many countries, even here. Hence, many of us would perhaps express fear of the end of time and imagine the destruction of the world, that there will be calamities and unimaginable tragedies, that there will be great suffering, pain and death.

    Our readings this Sunday seemed to have the same horrifying images also. The first reading from the Book of Prophet Malachi prophesied about the destruction of the evildoers. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus described the signs that will come like the powerful earthquakes, famines, plagues, wars, and persecutions.

    However, does the end of time really mean to be terrifying and horrifying for us? To answer this question let us see closely the prophesy of Prophet Malachi and the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke so that we too will be able to discover God’s invitation for us on this Sunday.

    The prophecy from the Book of Prophet Malachi was addressed to all the Israelites who have returned from exile. However, at their return the prophet saw how the leaders of the Jewish community had become corrupt, abusive and indifferent to the common people.

    Those words of destruction and death are meant for those who continually reject God and oppressed His people. Yet, the prophecy is also a hopeful promise to end the evil institution and the end of corruption and death. And for those who remained faithful and in friendship with God, the words of Malachi meant comfort and strength, for to them, the Lord will come to bring healing. And this will be the most wonderful and joyful time.

    In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus warns us of those who acted like a “god” and not to follow them because they only lead us to death and not to life. Jesus also reminds us of the sufferings in life that may come but he comforts us not to be terrified and not to be afraid. Jesus promises us with his presence abiding in us. He will never leave us alone. Jesus will walk with us and accompany us.

    Moreover, at the fulfillment of time, Jesus will be with us in person with his power and glory. And when he comes, Jesus will gather His people who believed in him and trusted him even in difficult times. His coming will be the end of the corrupt and the murderers. It will be a destruction of the powerful and arrogant, the ruthless and the violent.

    Now, the beautiful message lies here.  The message of comfort and strength, of joy and peace is for us who are waiting patiently for the end of time. This is what St. Paul tells us for us who believe in Jesus that the end of time is not something that we should be afraid. It is not a terrifying event but it will be the most joyful moment of our life. Meeting the Lord is a moment of fulfillment of all our hopes, prayers, desires and dreams.

    However, it will surely be a destruction to what is evil. It will be the most terrifying moment for those who continually reject God and for those who pretend and act like a god.

    With all of these, what can we do then, as we patiently wait for the second coming of Jesus? God in His generosity and love prepares us daily for that wonderful moment of our life. God prepares us by making Himself felt daily and in every moment and event in our life. Jesus reveals himself in us and through us. Indeed, Jesus’ words will not pass away, his promises will never fade. God is faithful and He is ever present with us. That is why, it is very important that we become discerning and welcoming of Jesus’ presence being revealed in us and around us.

     How do we do it then? Our prayers as constant communication with God, both individually and as a community, will help us to make ourselves open to God. When we pray, we allow God to transform us and transform the way we look at things, the way we judge things and people and our way of relating with others. Thus, the effect of constant talking and listening to God forms us to be more aware of His presence in our life. Prayer is here not about murmuring our memorized prayers and novenas but being able to talk to God, listen to him by being able to reflect and contemplate God’s voice and actions in our life.

     This calls us to recognize God in everyone and in everything. What would be its consequence now? When we grow tired from praying because our dreams and desires were not granted, remember that God never grows tired in making Himself known to us. God also reveals himself in moments of failures and defeats. When we become confused and doubtful of our faith, remember that God never surrenders on us. God makes himself known even in moments of our pain and suffering. When we feel that we are surrounded by evil, corruption and deaths, remember that God brings justice and makes himself bright even in the darkest part of our lives as Christians and members of our community.

     As we are about to end the liturgical calendar and begin the Season of Advent in few weeks’ time, let us make this week more wonderful and exciting. Let us intensify our “Wi-Fi connection” with God, by making our prayer frequent and sincere. Hopefully, this will lead each of us to see and feel the face of God among ourselves and even among those people who are not familiar to us and events that may be surprising and strange for us. In this way, we hope that we too will grow in our faith and become more excited in the end of time where we will certainly meet the Lord, who is the fulfillment of all our dreams and hopes. Kabay pa.

  • Of Life BEFORE Death

    Of Life BEFORE Death

    November 13, 2022 – 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111322.cfm)

    Whenever death & disasters happen in our lives, we cannot help but raise the question about the end-time or the end of the world. Ever-present war, pandemic, famine, pestilence, super typhoons, tsunami, hunger, earthquakes, flooding, landslides, and countless death-crimes in life render us anxious and helpless towards our coming future. Our worries about the coming end-times are not only felt around us but also within us. We are not ignorant as to how it feels when our world seems have broken and ended whenever we experience heartache as to the death and loss of our loved ones, or failed in our studies, business endeavors, plans and dreams, or diagnose with serious illness and others. Even worse, Scripture and Jesus himself warns us of these coming end-times as inevitable and surely to happen to our human life.  

    Related with our uncertainty about end-time are the questions: “What’s the point? What’s the meaning of all these life-endeavors? Is there hope in life?” And above all, at its very heart, raises the question: “What now… and then? Is there Life AFTER Death?”

    A wise man once said: “The question should not be: ‘Is there life after death’ but rather ‘Is there life BEFORE death’?

    True enough, while life-disasters and death surely to happen in life, we should concern ourselves less about what happen to us after life, but rather more so concern about how we live our life before our inevitable death. Regardless whether there is life after death or not, we should never forget the fact that there is life before death that we are still now in. If we come to think of it, we are still now here alive for a reason and purpose to be in this world. It is for us now, as we live this life, to discover and fulfill in life our real reason and purpose to be and live. Our task and concern in life is to live our life now before death to the fullness of our very life-purpose.

    Life Before Death would also mean that the greatest loss in life is not death, but what dies inside us while we live. Sadly there are people nowadays who have reasons to die than to live, and people who are still alive but dying and already died inside. Though painful, confusing and disheartening, our experiences of disasters and loss should move us still alive to deeply discover and enable the very reason and meaning of our life-existence. For Jesus, life-death and disasters are not only about end-times or world’s end, but more so about the opportunity for us to testify, that is, to rise to the occasion,…. stand up and witness in life our faith in God through Him, and…. to live-up to our very life-purpose and reason in life.  In other words, Jesus is saying to us, that these things will surely happen to us, but with a reason and for a purpose. So, we should consider more our life now before death, rather than our life after death, and as He  promised,  “By your perseverance in life, you will secure your lives.”

    Practical advice then to ponder: Whenever disaster strikes and happens in life, ASK NOT , “Why is this happening TO me?” but rather, “why is this happening FOR me?” Because…. Asking, “why is this happening TO me?” leads to unhealthy self-doubt, blame, guilt, anger, and inner death. Asking, however, “why is this happening FOR me?” leads to meaning, purpose, challenge, responsibility, and resolution.

    As we grapple then with the concern about our experience of death & disasters in life, as  per advised,  ask not: “Why is this happening to me?”, “Is there life after death?” but rather ask,  “Why is this happening FOR me?”, “Is there life before death?”, “Do I have or am I having a life now before my death?”.  With this, we may be more hopefully grounded to live our lives by its very reason, meaning and purpose, as well as to be a living testimony and witness of our Christian faith, and God’s grace to our present world.

    May the Lord lead us to His fullness of life.

    So May it be. Amen.