Monday, October 15, 2012

Gospel Reflection



October 15, 2012
Monday - Year of Faith
St. Teresa of Jesus, Virgin, Doctor of the Church (Memorial)
by Rev. Fr. Prudencio 'Jun' T. Solomon (Rector and Parish Priest)
(Archdiocesan Shrine of the Our Lady of Loreto Parish, Sampaloc Manila)Guest Priest, Lunch Mass at EDSA Shrine/Shire of Mary, Queen of Peace/Our Lady of Peace Quasi-Parish


Reading 1 Gal 4:22-24, 26-27, 31-5:1

Brothers and sisters: It is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the freeborn woman. The son of the slave woman was born naturally, the son of the freeborn through a promise. Now this is an allegory. These women represent two covenants. One was from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar. But the Jerusalem above is freeborn, and she is our mother. For it is written: Rejoice, you barren one who bore no children; break forth and shout, you who were not in labor; for more numerous are the children of the deserted one than of her who has a husband. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are children not of the slave woman but of the freeborn woman. For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 113:1b-2, 3-4, 5a and 6-7

R. (see 2) Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
From the rising to the setting of the sun
is the name of the LORD to be praised.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
R. Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Who is like the LORD, our God,
who looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor.
R. Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 11:29-32

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here."

HOMILY

Masama bang maghanap ng tanda? Sa Ebanghelyo ngayon, sinabi ni Hesus na "ang lahing ito ay napakasama, sapagkat naghahanap pa sila ng tanda".

Mga kapatid, hindi masama ang maghanap ng tanda, sapagkat ang tanda ay isang simbulo, isang sagisag na kumakatawan sa isang bagay, tao o lugar, upang malaman kung ano ang ibig sabihin o kahulugan nito. Ano ang sinasabi ni Hesus na napakasama? Hindi po ang paghahanap ng tanda - kundi ang kakulangan natin na makilala at mapansin ang tandang nasa harapan na natin. Ibinibigay na ang tanda, ngunit hindi pa rin pinapansin. Naririyan ang tanda, ngunit hindi pa rin tinitignan. Naririyan na ang simbulo o sagisag, pero hindi pinipilit unawain.

Mga kapatid, ito ang sinasabi ni Hesus sa mga tao, lalong lalo na noong kanyang panahon. Napakasama ng lahing 'yon sapagkat naroon na ang tanda sa kanila, sa gitna nila. At ang tanda ay walang iba kundi ang anak ng tao - si Hesus. Ang Kanyang buhay, ang Kanyang salita, ang Kanyang mga ginagawang kababalaghan ay mga tandang sapat upang ipaalam sa kanila na ang Diyos ay naririyan. Ngunit ito ay hindi nakikita ng mga tao. Humihingi pa sila ng tanda mula sa langit.

Mga kapatid, hindi masamang maghanap ng tanda. Ang masama ay kung nariyan na ay hindi pinapansin, hindi tinitignan, hindi ginagawan ng paraan upang maunawaan o maintindihan. Ang atin pong banal na pagdiriwang ay punong-puno ng tanda at mga simbulo. Ang tanong - ilan sa atin ang gumagawa ng paraan upang maintindihan ito? Ilan sa atin ang nagtatanong upang kahit papaano ay maunawaan nang mabuti ang kahulugan at yaman ng pagdiriwang na ito?

Mga ginigiliw na mga kapatid, tayo rin ay mga tanda sa bawat isa. Tayo'y tanda ni Kristo sa ating kapwa. Ipakilala natin Siya sa pamamagitan ng pagpapaliwanag ng ating buhay, ng ating pamumuhay at pagsunod sa Panginoon. We are all signs. Everything in our Celebration is a sign of God's presence, of God's grace, of God's love. Let us make an effort to make it known. Let us make EVERY effort to have it understood and learned by others.

Mga tanda - hindi masamang magtanong. Ngunit kung wala tayong ginagawang pamamaraan upang ito ay maintindihan, balewala ang tandang ibinibigay sa atin ng Diyos. Ang mga pagdiriwang, kabilang na tayo, ay mga tanda ng Diyos sa bawat isa. 



St. Teresa of Jesus – Pray for us


You may also want to see: A Holy Life - St. Teresa of Jesus

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