Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Tag: Ordinary Time

  • How do we react when confronted with our failures?

    How do we react when confronted with our failures?

    October 15, 2020 – Thursday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time

    Memorial of St Teresa of Avila, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101520.cfm)

    Homily

    One time, I was asked to reconcile a church organization over a conflict that had caused hatred and division among the members. This started when a member took the risk of giving a feedback to their leadership. The person confronted them and told them about their exclusivity. The leadership seemed to favor few members over the others. The person who brought this out could not take this kind of attitude in the organization anymore. It was in the person’s best intention and good faith to improve the relationship within the organization. However, the leadership’s reaction was quite hostile. Instead of welcoming such feedback, they reacted so much to the point of finding the faults of the person who confronted them. Instead of taking it as a challenge to make themselves better, they became more exclusive and at the same time hostile to those who confronted their attitude.

    A person can be hostile when confronted with his or her failure. Even among our friends, we find it difficult to tell one another of our sins and mistakes. Others, because of such confrontation, friendship was broken. Among neighbors especially, when one begins to pinpoint the mistakes of another, this may cause endless hate-speech, gossiping, and even violent reactions. This happened in that organization whose leaders were confronted of their failure to be inclusive.

    Indeed, people who tend to display a strong image with a sense of self-righteousness will be resistant towards his or her critics. This happens to us when we think highly of ourselves that we forget how to be humble and be accepting of negative comments and confrontations.

    When we have grown to be arrogant, we display an air of contempt towards those whom we believed are threatening our good image. Thus, we become hostile and aggressive towards those who confront us and friendly only to those who flatter us.

    These are the attitudes that we find in today’s Gospel. When Jesus confronted the failures and sins of the Pharisees and scholars of the law, they became unfriendly towards him. Jesus pointed out how their ancestors, as leaders, killed the prophets in the Old Testament in order to hide their failures and sins from the people. The Jewish leaders wanted to keep the people away from the truth and away from God.

    Consequently, in order to advance their personal interest, to preserve their privileges, influence, wealth and power in the community, they developed ways of enslaving the people. They created many laws and demanded that the public must follow them literally but they themselves did not; heavy taxes were imposed upon the people but they themselves would not properly pay taxes to the temple; and they developed a gap among their people, stretching the gap between rich and poor, righteous and sinners.

    And Jesus confronted them, pointed out their failures and evil intentions. But they could not accept it. As a revenge to Jesus, they planned to silence Jesus by killing him.

    The Lord has revealed himself to them but still they refused God’s offer of salvation. These people were without faith. They did not worship God but themselves alone.

    Nevertheless, God continues to confront us of our sins and failures because the Lord desires our salvation, our freedom. Our Psalm proclaims today, “The Lord has made known his salvation.” Paul reminds us too in his letter to the Ephesians, “God chose us, to be holy and without blemish before him.”

    This is God’s desire that we will be able to claim also that we are his and called to be holy. The path of holiness involves confrontation of ourselves, of our selfish tendencies and evil intentions. By confronting ourselves and welcoming God and others to correct us, then, we embrace the grace to be transformed. This is the very life that St. Teresa of Avila embraced also. She confronted the way of life of her community that she believed had already departed from its original intention.

    St. Teresa’s journey as a reformer was not easy. She herself became a threat to many, a contradiction to those in power. Thus, she became unpopular, misunderstood, misjudged and opposed. Yet, St. Teresa would say, “God alone is sufficient.”

    God alone is sufficient.

    St Teresa of Avila

    St. Teresa of Avila whose feast we celebrate today reminds us of a person who truly found satisfaction, true comfort and riches in God. Through her closeness with Jesus, she discerned and chose God’s desire for her rather than her personal desires even if that leads to personal conflict and difficulty. She made God as the most essential in her life which made her offer also herself.

    This is what Jesus wants us to be, that we become persons who are not trapped by our mere personal desires. The Lord desires that we become free and truthful to ourselves because it is in this way the we shall also find life meaningful and become life-giving in our relationships with our family and friends and with our colleagues at work.

    Let us allow Jesus to confront us. His confrontations with us may appear in different forms. This could be through a lingering guilt and shame of the past sins that we have done, through a friend and colleague who has the nerve to confront us, and through a family member who takes the risk of making us aware of our sins and mistakes. Through them, we may welcome God’s way of transforming us everyday. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • What influences my heart?

    What influences my heart?

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    October 14, 2020 – Wednesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101420.cfm)

    Homily

    What motivates me everyday? What are my desires and wants? What drives me to live? These questions would help us to understand better ourselves, our tendencies, as well as our thoughts and the meaning behind our decisions and actions. It is very important to become aware of the influences deep inside our heart. Awareness is a key to a balanced way of life as well as our key towards contentment and becoming happy with what life offers us.

    There is a famous story among the Cherokee Indians (this is just another story of the two wolves, there are also other versions with their twists). A grandfather told his  grandchildren a story of the black and white wolves. He said that inside us, there is a black and a white wolf always fighting. The black wolf is evil filled with anger, envy, greed, arrogance, hatred, and evil desires. On the other hand, the white wolf is good and filled with kindness, goodness, generosity, patience, love, faith, peace and gentleness. One of the grandchildren asked, “Which of the two wins, grandpa?” “It is the wolf that you feed,” the grandfather replied.

    Certainly, our heart will be overwhelmed with anger and hatred, with greed and arrogance when we are also feeding the black wolf in us. In letting the black wolf win over the white wolf, we make ourselves slaves to our selfish tendencies. We make ourselves insecure and indifferent towards those who are around us. Thus, cultivating violence and anger in our heart will make us more violent and angry. Lingering on hatred and pain will also make us more desperate, hateful and sad. Fostering and doing unjust practices, corruption, dishonesty and unfaithfulness will just make us more corrupt, more hungry for power and control.

    Look at those people fighting over a position just to secure their political dream and to assure an influential seat in order to gain control and dominance. As Christians, we can question their integrity in serving the common good particularly in the middle of a crisis. It seems that what is more important is position, influence, power and dominance, control and prestige.

    Jesus pointed this out also among the influential people in the biblical times. The Gospel reminds us how Jesus confronted the pharisees and scholars of the law of their arrogance and self-righteous attitudes. These were the very people who secured influential status in their community but remained indifferent to the suffering of the public, and vicious and greedy. They were more concerned of their comforts and benefits rather that the good things they can give to the people through their status in the community.

    This is something that Paul reminded us in his letter to the Galatians. Paul told us to be always conscious and be guided by the Spirit of God and not to become slaves of our selfish tendencies that will bring us only to further insecurity and desperation. Paul said, “if we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.”

    While looking at the bigger picture of our community, let us also look at ourselves and examine the kind of wolf we are under influenced. The Lord does not want us to feed our insecurities and self-serving tendencies, that is, the black wolf in us. What the Lord wants is for us to recognize the Spirit of God dwelling in us, to nurture the spirit by living truly and following the Spirit of God.

    Thus, today, Jesus calls us to feed the white wolf in us by allowing the Spirit of God to influence us, to overwhelm us and inspire our thoughts, decisions and actions. For us to follow the Spirit of God, there are two invitations that I want you to remember.

    First. Think and remember the needs of others. We may have our own concerns in life, but there is no harm to become more aware and understanding of what others are also going through. By being able to see and understand others, we become more connected with them. This allows us to think less of our needs and not to linger more of our desires. We become less self-centered and begin to see the world through the eyes of those are most in need than us.

    Second.  Pray. Pray for courage and the faith to respond to what you see. Do not just simply pray for our personal wants and desires, pray that we may become a life-giving person. It is by praying that we find strength and confidence in God that despite our own struggles, we become certain of His presence. We do not have to make extraordinary projects to help others and express our kindness and generosity. Extend help whenever we are called to. Express our generosity whenever somebody asks for help.

    May these simple invitations guide us to truly live and follow the Spirit of God dwelling in us. 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

  • Proper Attendance?

    Proper Attendance?

    October 11, 2020 – 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101120.cfm)

    Homily

    We, Filipinos love fiesta. We do anything just to attend a fiesta celebration. Fiestas are special occasions for the whole family and community to celebrate, rejoice, and renew relationships. For us, it means solidarity, bonding, fellowship and community.

    In our gospel today, Jesus compared the Kingdom of God to a very important fiesta where everybody is invited to take part in the celebration – where everybody is invited to attend in the banquet. Jesus also here identifies three kinds of invited guests. They are 1). The absentee, those who did not come to attend; 2) the attendee, those who come and attend, good or bad they may be; and 3) the unruly “the bastos”, those who come but behave improperly.

    Every Sunday, there is a Big and Important Fiesta for all Catholics. Everybody is an invited guest to our Holy Eucharist. Our Sunday celebration of the Holy Mass is the Lord’s feast day where all of us are invited to come, attend, partake and celebrate. It is the Lord’s fellowship with us – His Day with us and our Day with Him.

    Like in our gospel, we can also discern three kinds of invited guest Catholic in relation to our attendance of the Holy Eucharist. But before I say this, (spoiler alert) let me say, “Bato-bato sa langit, matamaan huwag magalit” o in our modern lingo, “Walang pikunan, Ispup lang.” Don’t get angry if you are disturbed by this – no pun intended.

    First, the ABSENTEE guests, those who are invited but did not come, with a lot of excuses or balidad, such as, “I’m busy. I have a lot of things to do… except attend the mass. I have no time.” “I’m too tired. I’m sick (esp. during Sundays); I need rest from staying overnite.” Some would excuse, “Well, what is in it, for me? Wala man koy mapupo niana. The Lord is not worth it” or “I’m not worth of such invitation, anyway I’m a hopeless sinner.”

    Second, the ATTENDEE guests, those who are invited and come unworthy they may be. Recognizing their own sinfulness but at the same time their goodness, they feel honored, privileged and grateful to attend and celebrate with the Lord’s fiesta. They actively and attentively participate in the celebration with great respect to the celebrant and other guests. That is why they are called the “Chosen Few” for they willingly respond to the Lord’s invitation.

    And lastly, the RUDE and Impolite Guests, those who are invited and came but out of obligation and not fully attentive to the celebration. Again, no pun intended. “Bato-bato sa langit, mataman huwag magalit. Because we may know these guests by the way they improperly dressed for the occasion. Some come on beachware or sportsware: shorts, slippers, sando, sleeveless shirts, sneakers, et al. Some come for fashion show, to show off their latest style with revealing curves, cuts, make-up, hairstyle, beads and even tattoo. Some are ready for “suroy” or “malling” with their low waist & battered jeans and hanging blouses. Some also attend with their cellphones open, maybe they are VIPs, who needs to be updated anytime and they are free to be disturbed anytime, anywhere especially during mass. Some prefers to stay outside the church, who wants to run and escape as soon as the ceremony ends.

    I wonder how would you feel if the priests behave the same way. Like, if I stand before you celebrating mass on my shorts or jogging pants and sando, interrupted with a noisy cellphone, mumbling thru the prayers and finished it after 20 minutes?

    Pandemic times have somehow deprived us of attending and participating in Sunday Eucharist. The more we are limited in attending Eucharist nowadays, the more we also become conscious of the importance of the Eucharist in our faith and life. Jesus said: ‘Many are called, but few are chosen.” All of us are always invited but few have chosen to come and be worthy guests. Every Sunday, we are all invited guests in the Lord’s fiesta. But we do have our own unique of responding to that invitation.

    As we prepare to regularly come and fully participate once again soon the Lord’s Eucharist with us,   perhaps we should try to reflect what type of Invited guest you and I have been, and in what way we can be more worthy guest  and properly attend His celebration.

    Thanks you, Lord, for always inviting us to participate with you in the celebration of life God offers us now and forever. Amen.

    By  Fr. Aphelie Mario Masangcay, CSsR (a former Filipino Redemptorist Missionary for Filipino Migrants in South Korea who, due to immune compromised diabetic condition, stationed back home  in the Philippines for now).

  • 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