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Tag: Love

  • How’s your love-life?

    How’s your love-life?

    October 25, 2020 – 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102520.cfm)

    Homily

    Early 1991, a popular song by Extreme, an American rock band entitled: “More than Words” was released.  Surely we all have heard and familiar of this song. Many of us could relate with the song, as we listen to it along with its cool acoustic strumming, nice voice blending, and even sometimes we catch ourselves singing-along with the lyrics like: “Then you would’nt have to say that your love me… coz I’d already know”. Nice song, diba? Well, for us, it might be one of the cool sounds to hear, nice to sing-along with, popular and common song of our time. But, for others, the song: “More than words” is their most special, intimate, and personal love song.

    You see, for us Catholic, marriage rite and weddings mean more than just contracts, ceremony, receptions, or party, but it is a sacrament. And again for us Catholic, what makes a marriage sacrament is more than just the wedding rites, receptions, guests and entourage, remembrance photos-videos, missalette, attire, even the presider-priest. But what makes wedding day a Sacrament is the presence and love of the couple themselves, before God’s altar. Yes, the couples’ very love for each other, their faith in God, and their resolve to love each other eternally and sacredly make their marriage and their wedding SACRAMENT. More than the words, gestures, decorations, expenses, attires, food and others is the couple’s consecrated LOVE itself – a SACRAMENT of God’s love and our love.

    For what is a SACRAMENT? A sacrament is human expressions of our sacred love to God and each other, as well as is God’s human expressions of love to us. Somehow, a sacrament is our response to God’s commandments of love to “Love one another”. It is sacred expression of our love of God as we love one another, and it is human expression of our love of one another, as we love God. And for all those who know and experience what love is, Love is more than the words we say but moreso about the life we live, and commit to. Love is more than just saying “I love you” but meaning what you said & promised, i.e. being here present for this person all the days of your life, whatever it takes, whatever others say about you both. Love is, as the song would say: More than words to show you feel/ that your love for me is real. Meaning, Our Love of others is something REAL than the words spoken or written. Loving others is something Sacred, Holy, Personal, Intimate, Eternal, Divine. In other words, SACRAMENT, expression of God’s love for us and our love for God.

    In our gospel today, the Lord reminded us of the commandment for us to Love God with all our hearts, mind & soul, and to love one another as we love ourselves. Here Jesus simply challenges us to make & offer our Lovelife to be Holy, Sacred and Godly before God and others. You see, Love is basically all about our being intimately, closely & personally related with an-other person. Human as we are, we need to be intimately in relationship with others – we need to love others & be loved by others in life. As we do our best, struggle & grow with our lovelife, the invitation really is to make our Lovelife a Sacrament – to consecrate our Love to the Lord, as our concrete way of loving God in our life. Loving others as oneself is already great, but the greatest things is to offer our love for others Godly and sacredly (diniyos/balaan) before God and others – Sacrament of Love. If and when we commit our love for others as sacrament, challenging it may be, we find in our lovelife with our loved ones, among couples, within family, community, church, & society more meaning, value & direction.

    Now, How’s your lovelife?… However we describe the status of our lovelife (whether single, singled, in relationship, engaged, complicated, married, divorced, separated, in love, broken, and others), we  also do know that our lovelife is more than just the words we say and just about object or subject of our affection, but more so about our whole experience of being loved & being loving – on how we experience love in life that considers its memories, feelings, emotions, challenges, & growth. Others might have fallen in and/or fallen out of love. Others have grown and/or failed in love.

    But in our lifetime, surely we do find ourselves trying again and anew our best, continually learning & struggling with our lovelife. Perhaps occasionally it is good to review our lovelife. Ask ourselves: “How is my lovelife? Have I been loving with others? Have I been loved by others? Has my love and their love for me sacred and godly? Is our love for one another a sacrament?

    Pandemic times makes us aware that we need each others’ love. People are needing our love as well as we do need other’s love. We pray then that may our lovelife now be Holy & be a witness of God’s love for all those who are needy at this time. May God & Christ be known & loved by others & all through our Christian love for one another. By our sacred love – diniyos nga gugma, may we be blessed and be a blessing to others. So be it. Amen.

    By  Fr. Aphelie Mario Masangcay, CSsR 

  • In Love not in Fear

    In Love not in Fear

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    October 25, 2020 – 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102520.cfm)

    Homily

    Have you been terrified of God? My childhood memories of God was a terrifying God. I was introduced to a God who will easily get angry over a naughty boy and will deliver a punishment. I grew up in an environment also when corporal punishment was the easy way of discipline. The adults around me that included my parents, siblings, teachers and other authority figures were always ready to strike whenever I become rowdy.

    And because a punishment can be painful and shameful at times, I would behave immediately not to anger more those adults around me. In this way, I was also catechized and made to believe that God was like those authority figures around me. My childhood imagination of God was like a grandfather who always has a stick in his hand ready to strike a boy like me who was unruly.

    Yet, I was told to love God with all my heart, with all my soul and with all my mind. I found it hard because I was terrified of God. I fear God most rather than love Him. However, as I grew up, I also gradually realized that as I matured in my faith and relationship with God, I found God less and less terrifying. God manifested His love to me in many ways. God showed his faithfulness in me despite my unfaithfulness and sinfulness.

    With this deeper relationship with the Lord, the terrifying image of God changed into a Loving and ever faithful God. In this way, it moves me to respond in love to God and to others.

    With this kind of transformation, I found it also interesting how the Israelites grew in their knowledge of God. The readings this Sunday reveal to us this development as well as the invitations for us today.

    The Israelites, in the beginning, believed that God was just “one of the many gods.” The people recognized that other nations had gods and goddesses and what they had was a good one. Like the others, they too conceived of a god who protects them. Thus, they believed of a “warrior god” who shall deliver them from their enemies.

    Hence, the Old Testament has many images of God taking revenge, being vengeful and violent to the enemies of his people and to the wicked ones. The first reading from the Book of Exodus reveals this kind of image of God as it says, “My wrath will flare up and I will kill you with the sword.” And who will not fear this kind of God?

    However, despite this violent image of God, the scripture also reveals something of an image of God that people had already recognized. God as a defender against outside enemies, God also assures His presence to those who are struggling in life, the poor, the widows and the orphans.

    This is a manifestation of God’s loving care and that character of God that shows compassion and so much love for the people. Indeed, the Israelites over a loooong period of time gradually knew God more and deeper. Israel realized that there is only one God and that God is not a terrifying God, but a loving and caring God.

    This is what Paul preached in his travels. Jesus, the ultimate revelation of God’s face, revealed that God even became man and died for his people. This is how much God shows his faithful love to us. The Church in Thessalonica, upon receiving this good news to them, received it with love and devotion.

    Moreover, Paul commended the Thessalonians because of the devotion they showed. Their faith was being expressed in the way they lived their lives. Theirs was a response of gratitude to God whom they realized has loved them so much.

    Moreover, the response of Jesus to the scholar of the law tells us of the right attitude in relating and responding to God. Thus, the question as to what is the greatest commandment expresses a relationship of love and not of fear. Jesus reveals what was behind the law, and that was love – to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

    We are only able to respond to God with love when we ourselves are conscious of God’s love for us, his goodness and generosity in us. Again, the Book of Exodus tells us how God reminded his people of the many good things he did for them. God saved the people from slavery, from that misery of having no land, no home, and no identity. God heard their cry and sent Moses to deliver them from that slavery. Because of these many blessings they enjoyed from God they too in “gratefulness” shall show compassion and mercy to those who are strangers, to the poor, the widows and orphans.

    And again, this is what we find also in the letter of Paul to the Thessalonians. They have showed compassion and mercy to others and with one another. They have imitated Christ in words and deeds because they were convinced of Jesus and conscious of the many good things that God has done for them.

    This is what God wants to show to us this Sunday – that as we live our lives as Christians, as we practice our Christianity – our response to Him should be out of “gratefulness” not out of fear that springs forth from our deep love for Him who first loved us. Our love for God will then be shown in our words as well as in our actions. We shall be generous to those who are in need because we are grateful to God who is generous to us. We shall show our concern and affection to our friends because God shows his love to us in many ways. We shall forgive those who hurt us because God has forgiven us first.

    In this way then, we will be able to live our Christian faith that truly loves God and our neighbor as we love ourselves. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • Faith Working Through Love

    Faith Working Through Love

    October 13, 2020 – Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here fore the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101320.cfm)

    Homily

    As a human response of love, FAITH, (see https://adoseofgodtoday.com/2020/10/09/faith-a-human-response-of-love/) goes beyond obligation or from the letters of the law. What does it mean? To understand this better, let us see a bit deeper the encounter of Jesus with the Pharisee.

    In the today’s Gospel passage, Luke tells us that a Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him in his house. This Pharisee must have heard a lot about Jesus, his preaching and miracles. He wanted to see Jesus personally and to see the ways of Jesus. However, these group of people, Pharisees, were hostile to Jesus. They were always looking for faults in Jesus that they can use against him.

    The Pharisees were known in the Jewish society at that time of Jesus who observed strictly the traditional and written law of Moses. Indeed, they were known to follow the law up to its most trivial law like in washing before meal and of the dishes. However, these people were filled with pretentions and superiority. They developed such practices to be praised and recognized by the people.

    Thus, the integrity of their faith was in question. The sincerity of their action was doubtful. This was something that Jesus wanted them to realize. Jesus wanted this people to see that our relationship with God is not tied up in following the minutest detail of the law. Having faith is not about making others look us up because of the many trivial rituals we do. To have faith is never about becoming self-righteous and superior from others.

    Hence, Jesus confronted the Pharisee because Jesus knew his heart. The amazement of the Pharisee when Jesus did not observed the prescribed washing before the meal, was born out of disgust to a person who did not follow the law like him. However, this was the chance of Jesus to teach the Pharisee an important lesson.

    Jesus pointed out the plunder and evil in the heart of these people while making themselves good and honorable in front of the public. This means that what they were after was not to please and worship God but to make people worship them.

    What is more important is not our good image before the public but our heart that expresses our goodness, generosity and love.

    This is basically what St. Paul is telling us in his letter to the Galatians. Similar to the Pharisee, the Jewish Christians wanted to retain the law of circumcision for the non-Jewish Christians. They wanted the non-Jewish to submit to this law because they believed that they can only be a true believer if they observe such law like them. This became a conflict in the early Christian Community to which Paul intervened.

    Paul reminded them that “in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.”

    Only faith working through love! If faith does not do good to others but suppresses and restricts a person to become life-giving, then, it is not faith at all, but a self-serving belief. Because faith is a human response of love to God who first loved us, then, faith naturally expresses love to God and to others. When our actions and thoughts would only serve our ego, for the preservation of our good-image, to seek praise and approval from others, then, it is surely not of faith.

    This is what Jesus calls us today. Let our faith in Jesus express love and only love. Never be afraid to express love because when it is expressed it is surely liberating for us and for others. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • Faith: A Human Response of Love

    Faith: A Human Response of Love

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    October 10, 2020 – Saturday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101020.cfm)

    Homily

    Faith, as Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI said, is a human response of love to God who first loved us. This human response is neither bound to obligation nor a mandate because of law as what St. Paul told us in his letter to the Galatians. He said, “through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus.” We become God’s children because we have opened ourselves to God’s offer of life and freedom. We become children because we too are made heirs of the kingdom of God.

    Moreover, faith is not something that is abstract or a mere allegiance to God. Since faith is a human response of love, it is alive, active and life-giving.

    Thus, the Gospel tells us how faith transforms a person. And so, the woman in the gospel praised Mary, the mother of Jesus for having a great son like him. Likewise, Jesus even praised Mary not just on this basis of her motherhood, but rather for being able to listen to the Word of God, pondering upon it and observing it.

    St. Anselm even affirmed that because of the great devotion of Mary to the Word of God in listening and pondering everything in her heart, the Word was made flesh within her.

    This tells us that Mary’s devotion to the Word of God did not only stop in mere hearing but the word spoken by God transformed Mary herself. Accordingly, Mary has become our best example of a person who did listen, accept and embrace God’s word. It was in that way that Mary found her joy, her peace and her freedom as a person, as a woman, as a wife and as a mother.

    Today, we, who received the gift of faith and the Word of God, through the Holy Scriptures, through the Sacraments, through our community, are also being invited that our devotion to the Word of God will not just remain a mere obligation or not just a part of our speech but will also transform us. Like Mary, let the Word of God and (faith) our human response of love to God become concrete and life-giving.

    let the Word of God and (faith) our human response of love to God become concrete and life-giving.

    Jesus invites us that as we listen to him, who is speaking to us now, we too will be able to accept and embrace His words. His words may become difficult and challenging, risky and time-consuming but also comforting and inspiring, life-changing and liberating. We will surely then find that as we listen and ponder the Word of God in our heart, our actions, thoughts and speech and our person will also be transformed into what God desires us to be.

    Let our experiences of difficulties, anxieties, confusion and fear in this age of pandemic lead us to listen more and deeper to God’s word and to God’s everyday invitations for us.

    Let us be conscious about to the Word of God revealed in this Eucharist and in the Holy Scriptures so that its inspiration, its warmth and power will give light and life in our relationships with our families and friends, and in the many efforts that we make in our studies and in our work. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • True love never goes wrong

    True love never goes wrong

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    September 7, 2020 – Monday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090720.cfm)

    Homily

    True love could never go wrong. The Lord could never inflict any bad thing on anybody. Jesus only desires our wellbeing, our healing, and our freedom. The presence of Jesus among us is the concrete expression of God’s tremendous and empowering love. Perhaps, it is our way of loving that could go wrong because ours is filled with selfishness and of too much self-importance to the point that our way of loving becomes corrupted and vicious.

    This is how St Paul reminded the people in his first letter to the Corinthians. A man living with his father’s wife was no love at all and not something that one should be proud of. Paul called it immorality. Paul also called such action an “old yeast,” a yeast of malice and wickedness.

    This malice and wickedness were the intentions felt by Jesus among the scribes and Pharisees while he was teaching in a synagogue. In this event, Jesus graced the people with his presence by teaching them and to perform in a concrete way how love desires the wellbeing, the healing and the freedom of a person.

    However, the scribes and the Pharisees were more concerned on how to accuse Jesus of something and then put him to death. One could not claim that these people were without love. They must have loved also, yet, their way of loving was filled with selfishness. They became corrupt and vicious. They felt threatened by the presence of Jesus who only desired goodness.

    This tells us too that a corrupt and vicious person will always be threatened by the goodness and kindness, sincerity and truthfulness of others. They felt threatened by the presence of Jesus because the very person of the Lord, his way of life, teachings and works mirrored their incapacities, their corruption, their self-absorption, their malice and wickedness. Through the very person of Jesus, they were confronted and called to be healed and to be renewed.

    Yet, these people could not because they were trapped in that kind of life. They could not because it was too much for them. Thus, with evil intent they have been looking for something to accuse Jesus and bring him to death.

    However, the Lord cannot be stopped from doing good, from giving life and bringing healing to us. The Lord willfully healed the man on a Sabbath day to tell us how ridiculous “a law made by man” can be. Hence, the question of Jesus, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”

    This question was directed to those who were with evil intent and those who were seeking to destroy life. Certainly, this is no love at all.

    Today, the Lord also calls us to examine our way of loving and to learn the way the Lord loves. Loving in the way of the Lord would never go wrong. May our way of loving then, be motivated with the desire to bring goodness, healing and freedom. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

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