Gospel Reflection

November 22, 2012

Thursday – Year of Faith

Memorial of Saint Cecilia – Patron of Church Music

by Rev. Fr. Benjo Fajota (Vice Rector of the EDSA Shrine)

Lunch Mass at Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace (Our Lady of EDSA)

Reading 1 Rv 5:1-10

I, John, saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who sat on the throne. It had writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a mighty angel who proclaimed in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to examine it. I shed many tears because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to examine it. One of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. The lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has triumphed, enabling him to open the scroll with its seven seals."

Then I saw standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and the elders a Lamb that seemed to have been slain. He had seven horns and seven eyes; these are the seven spirits of God sent out into the whole world. He came and received the scroll from the right hand of the one who sat on the throne. When he took it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones. They sang a new hymn:

"Worthy are you to receive the scroll and break open its seals, for you were slain and with your Blood you purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue, people and nation. You made them a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign on earth."

Responsorial Psalm Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b

R. (Rev. 5:10) The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
R. The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
R. The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.
R. The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel Lk 19:41-44

As Jesus drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If this day you only knew what makes for peace-- but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation."

HOMILY

Our Gospel reading speaks of the forthcoming destruction of Jerusalem. Indeed, it happened forty years after Jesus' death.

When we speak of apocalyptic literature as we heard in the first readings, we hear about symbols being used about the coming of the end days - the eschatological period, or the second coming of Jesus Christ. It is not meant to scare us, but rather, to prepare us for the imminent, second coming of Jesus Christ. It cannot be denied. It will surely come, but no one knows when - the hour, or the day - except the Father.

One of the most profound, truthful and realistic characteristics of love is powerlessness. When love is imposed, it is not love. When you are truly in love, you are powerless over the person who you truly love. And you cannot control yourself. Jesus, in our Gospel passage, showed very clearly, how he was powerless over the city of Jerusalem. Powerless, in a way, and he showed it through tears. He wept over Jerusalem. The title of this passage in the Bible is "Jesus's Lamentation". Paghihinagpis. Ang paghihinagpis ay pagluha para sa isang taong minamahal. Ang pagluha ni Hesus ay para sa mga taong naroroon sa Jerusalem. The word Jerusalem comes from the original Hebrew word which means 'peace'. Pero bakit ganito ang pagtangis ni Hesus? Bakit ganito ang kanyang pagluha? It is because Jesus was there as the Messiah. He preached, He taught about the Kingdom of God, He cured the sick, He made a lot of miracles. Still, people did not listen to Him. They did not adore Him; they did not take Him seriously. They even murdered Him and nailed Him to a tree.

Ganoon din ang ginagawa natin hanggang ngayon, Kapag tayo ay patuloy na nagkakasala, patuloy nating pinahihiya at pinaluluha ang ating Panginoon. Kapag tayo ay nawalan ng isang minamahal, lumuluha tayo. Pero ang ating luhang iyon ay hindi para sa taong nawala, kundi para sa ating mga sarili, dahil tayo ang nawalan. Pero pag tayo ay lumuha para sa isang taong minamahal dahil ikaw ay naghihinagpis dahil sa pamamaraan kung paanong ang iyong minamahal ay nawala, ang tunay na pag-ibig ay naipapakita.

When Jesus Christ cried, He saw how powerless He is over us. Let us remember that we have the free will to choose God or sinfulness. What we have to realize is that at the end of the day, we can never be truly happy without God. And that is what Christ is crying over us. Amen.

Saint Cecilia – Pray for us

You may also want to see: A Holy Life - Saint Cecilia