February 28, 2013
Thursday – Year of Faith – Lenten Season
by Rev. Fr. David "Dave" T.
Concepcion
(Spiritual Director, Holy Apostles Senior
Seminary, San Carlos Pastoral Formation Center, Guadalupe, Makati City)
6:15 PM Mass, Shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace (EDSA Shrine)
6:15 PM Mass, Shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace (EDSA Shrine)
Reading 1 Jer 17:5-10
Thus says the LORD: Cursed is the man who trusts in human
beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He
is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, But stands
in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth. Blessed is the man who trusts in the
LORD, whose hope is the LORD. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that
stretches out its roots to the stream: It fears not the heat when it comes, its
leaves stay green; In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears
fruit. More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can
understand it? I, the LORD, alone probe the mind and test the heart, To reward everyone
according to his ways, according to the merit of his deeds.
R. (40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so, the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so, the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed
in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at
his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have
eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used
to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by
angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from
the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham
far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity
on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for
I am suffering torment in these flames.’ Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember
that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise
received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone
from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to
ours.’ He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I
have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place
of torment.’ But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them
listen to them.’ He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead
goes to them, they will repent.’ Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to
Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise
from the dead.’“
HOMILY
First,
it's good to remember and understand that the Lazarus in the Gospel today is
not the same Lazarus who is the friend of Jesus, and the brother of Mary and
Martha. They are not the same person. Second, it is good to understand also
that not because you are rich, you will go to hell, or because you are poor,
you will go to heaven. It is not what the Gospel is all about. Hindi porke ikaw
ay mahirap, pupunta ka sa langit, at hindi porke ikaw ay mayaman, ay pupunta ka
sa impiyerno. Hindi po 'yon ang pinag-uusapan dito.
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, the First Reading says that "Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, and whose heart turns away from the Lord". Cursed is the man. Why? Because if God takes away your breath, you return into clay. Regardless of how rich you are, how intelligent you are, how powerful you are, when God takes away your breath, you will return to clay. Some people will remember you, but in the days to come, all of them will forget you. Walang makaka-alala sa iyo. 'Yong iba nga, buhay pa ang kamag-anak, hindi na naaalala, 'yon pa kayang patay.
What is the challenge of the Gospel of today? The Lenten season is a good time to ask ourselves - who am I, why I am created, and what I have become. Sino ba ako? Bakit nga ba ako nilikha ng Diyos? Ano na ang nangyari sa akin? Mga kapatid, maganda pong pagtuunan ng pansin ito. Kasi minsan po ay nakakalimot tayo. That life is short, and death is certain.
The sin in the Gospel of today is that the rich man refuses to give food to the poor man Lazarus. It is the sin of indifference, the sin of apathy. 'Yon po bang walang pakialam. At marami po sa atin, mayaman man or mahirap, nagsisimba o din man nagsisimba, ang walang pakialam. Bakit ayaw nating makialam? Kasi baka tayo madamay. Baka tayo mapahamak. O kaya'y abala sila sa ating mga gawain.
Kahapon, nagkukuwentuhan kami. Kung napupuna ninyo, sa panahon ngayon, hindi na tumatayo ang mga bata para salubungin o batiin kung sino man ang kanilang mga bisita sa bahay. 'Yong mga magulang dito, napapansin n'yo ba 'yon? Kung minsan hindi mapuknat ang mga mukha ng mga bata sa ano - sa telenovela, o kaya sa paglalaro ng computer. Hindi na bumabati, hindi na sumasalubong ang mga anak sa mga magulang na dumadating sa bahay. Unless sasabihin mo, "Oy, tumayo kayo diyan, bumati kayo." Di po ba? Hindi na - 'yan ang malungkot na kwento. Bata pa lang, wala nang pakialam. Ikatakot n'yo 'yan, mga magulang. Baka sa araw ng inyong paghihingalo, hindi kayo pakialaman.
Kaya siguro maraming matatanda ngayon ang nag-aalaga ng aso. Bakit? At least pagdating mo sa bahay, may sumasalubong pa - 'yong aso. Aso na lang ang sumasalubong. Harinawa, hindi matuto ng computer ang aso (laughs), at baka hindi na rin sumalubong. Hindi po ba?
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, now you may be laughing. But I don't want you to be crying in the time of your own loneliness and sickness, because you have not insisted on your children, that they have to correct their relationships. Life is all about relationships. Mother Teresa of Calcutta have said this, "How you treat the poor, is how you treat Christ." Hindi mo na nga pinapansin, hinuhusgahan mo pa.
Sino ho ba talaga ang nakaka-alam kung ang mga nagpapalimos sa lansangan ay sindikato? Sino po ba talaga ang nakaka-alam? Pag kumakatok sila sa inyong mga sasakyan - sindikato man 'yan o hindi - sana pansinin n'yo man lamang. Kung ayaw n'yong magbigay, huwag na kayong manghusga. Kung mayroong kumakatok sa inyong mga bintana, sabihin n'yo man lamang, "Wala po, pasensiya po." Kaysa hindi n'yo pinapansin, hindi n'yo tinitignan, na para bang bale-wala sila, at para bang hindi sila naninirahan. They seem not to exist. Wala. At ang masakit noon, hindi mo na nga pinansin, hinusgahan mo pa.
Mga minamahal kong kapatid, kaya ayaw nating magbigay, kasi baka tayo abusuhin. Pero ito naman po ang aking paalala. At least ikaw ang nagbibigay, hindi ikaw ang nanghihingi. Yan ang mga nagpapalimos sa lansangan. Ngunit ang mas malungkot na kwento ay, sa sariling tahanan, may mga magulang na nagpapalimos rin sa sariling anak. At ilang beses sinasabi ng magulang, "Anak, masama ang aking pakiramdam." At sasabihin ninyo, "Nanay, itulog n'yo lang 'yan." Hindi ba? Nagbibingi-bingihan. May pang-treat sa barkada, walang maibigay sa magulang.
May mga magulang na nagpapalimos ng ano - renta ng tahanan, pambayad sa kuryente at telepono, nanghihingi ng pansariling gamot. At may anak kang magsasabing, "Hindi naman kasi kayo nag-ipon eh. Sayang." Pero hindi nakapag-ipon ang magulang, kasi ibinigay lahat para sa anak. Ngayon ang anak ang matagumpay, ang magulang na tuloy ang nagpapalimos sa sariling anak.
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, it's a sad story. Noong maysakit, ayaw ninyong ibili ng gamot, noong nakakalakad pa, ayaw mong isama. "Matanda ka na Nanay, baka madapa ka." Kung kelan ngayong naka-wheelchair na, tsaka mo pinipilit isamang mamasyal. Naka-wheel chair na nga eh. Hindi na nakapaglalakad. Kung kelan ngayong hindi na nakakakain, tsaka pipilitin ng mga anak, "Nanay, kumain kayo." At kung kelan nakahiga na sa ospital, at hindi na effective ang gamot, tsaka sasabihing, "Nanay, sige na, uminom ka na ng gamot." Para saan?
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, the challenge in today's reading is - Is there any Lazarus in my life? Are there any people begging on my doorstep? Mayroon bang mga Lazarus sa buhay ko na nagpapalimos, o kaya'y hindi na nagsasalita, nakaupo na lamang sa pintuan ng aking buhay, dahil hindi ko pinapansin, sa gitna ng aking pagpapasasa sa sarili kong kasiyahan? Lent is a time to examine ourselves why we are created, and what have we become.
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, life is short, death is certain. Sayang kung sa maiksing buhay, hindi ko man lamang napagtuunan ng pansin, at baka pagdating ng araw, kabilang ako sa isang taong dating mayaman, na ngayon ay naninikluhod sa Diyos na sana po naman, ay malapatan lamang ng isang patak na tubig ang aking nauuhaw na labi.
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, how we live our lives today, will dictate where we are going to spend eternity. Dalawa lang naman po ang ating pupuntahan, di po ba? Smoking....or non-smoking. (laughs) 'Yan lang ang pupuntahan natin pagkatapos dito. Kahit na naninigarilyo kayo, alam kong ayaw n'yo sa smoking area pagkatapos dito.
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, the First Reading says that "Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, and whose heart turns away from the Lord". Cursed is the man. Why? Because if God takes away your breath, you return into clay. Regardless of how rich you are, how intelligent you are, how powerful you are, when God takes away your breath, you will return to clay. Some people will remember you, but in the days to come, all of them will forget you. Walang makaka-alala sa iyo. 'Yong iba nga, buhay pa ang kamag-anak, hindi na naaalala, 'yon pa kayang patay.
What is the challenge of the Gospel of today? The Lenten season is a good time to ask ourselves - who am I, why I am created, and what I have become. Sino ba ako? Bakit nga ba ako nilikha ng Diyos? Ano na ang nangyari sa akin? Mga kapatid, maganda pong pagtuunan ng pansin ito. Kasi minsan po ay nakakalimot tayo. That life is short, and death is certain.
The sin in the Gospel of today is that the rich man refuses to give food to the poor man Lazarus. It is the sin of indifference, the sin of apathy. 'Yon po bang walang pakialam. At marami po sa atin, mayaman man or mahirap, nagsisimba o din man nagsisimba, ang walang pakialam. Bakit ayaw nating makialam? Kasi baka tayo madamay. Baka tayo mapahamak. O kaya'y abala sila sa ating mga gawain.
Kahapon, nagkukuwentuhan kami. Kung napupuna ninyo, sa panahon ngayon, hindi na tumatayo ang mga bata para salubungin o batiin kung sino man ang kanilang mga bisita sa bahay. 'Yong mga magulang dito, napapansin n'yo ba 'yon? Kung minsan hindi mapuknat ang mga mukha ng mga bata sa ano - sa telenovela, o kaya sa paglalaro ng computer. Hindi na bumabati, hindi na sumasalubong ang mga anak sa mga magulang na dumadating sa bahay. Unless sasabihin mo, "Oy, tumayo kayo diyan, bumati kayo." Di po ba? Hindi na - 'yan ang malungkot na kwento. Bata pa lang, wala nang pakialam. Ikatakot n'yo 'yan, mga magulang. Baka sa araw ng inyong paghihingalo, hindi kayo pakialaman.
Kaya siguro maraming matatanda ngayon ang nag-aalaga ng aso. Bakit? At least pagdating mo sa bahay, may sumasalubong pa - 'yong aso. Aso na lang ang sumasalubong. Harinawa, hindi matuto ng computer ang aso (laughs), at baka hindi na rin sumalubong. Hindi po ba?
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, now you may be laughing. But I don't want you to be crying in the time of your own loneliness and sickness, because you have not insisted on your children, that they have to correct their relationships. Life is all about relationships. Mother Teresa of Calcutta have said this, "How you treat the poor, is how you treat Christ." Hindi mo na nga pinapansin, hinuhusgahan mo pa.
Sino ho ba talaga ang nakaka-alam kung ang mga nagpapalimos sa lansangan ay sindikato? Sino po ba talaga ang nakaka-alam? Pag kumakatok sila sa inyong mga sasakyan - sindikato man 'yan o hindi - sana pansinin n'yo man lamang. Kung ayaw n'yong magbigay, huwag na kayong manghusga. Kung mayroong kumakatok sa inyong mga bintana, sabihin n'yo man lamang, "Wala po, pasensiya po." Kaysa hindi n'yo pinapansin, hindi n'yo tinitignan, na para bang bale-wala sila, at para bang hindi sila naninirahan. They seem not to exist. Wala. At ang masakit noon, hindi mo na nga pinansin, hinusgahan mo pa.
Mga minamahal kong kapatid, kaya ayaw nating magbigay, kasi baka tayo abusuhin. Pero ito naman po ang aking paalala. At least ikaw ang nagbibigay, hindi ikaw ang nanghihingi. Yan ang mga nagpapalimos sa lansangan. Ngunit ang mas malungkot na kwento ay, sa sariling tahanan, may mga magulang na nagpapalimos rin sa sariling anak. At ilang beses sinasabi ng magulang, "Anak, masama ang aking pakiramdam." At sasabihin ninyo, "Nanay, itulog n'yo lang 'yan." Hindi ba? Nagbibingi-bingihan. May pang-treat sa barkada, walang maibigay sa magulang.
May mga magulang na nagpapalimos ng ano - renta ng tahanan, pambayad sa kuryente at telepono, nanghihingi ng pansariling gamot. At may anak kang magsasabing, "Hindi naman kasi kayo nag-ipon eh. Sayang." Pero hindi nakapag-ipon ang magulang, kasi ibinigay lahat para sa anak. Ngayon ang anak ang matagumpay, ang magulang na tuloy ang nagpapalimos sa sariling anak.
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, it's a sad story. Noong maysakit, ayaw ninyong ibili ng gamot, noong nakakalakad pa, ayaw mong isama. "Matanda ka na Nanay, baka madapa ka." Kung kelan ngayong naka-wheelchair na, tsaka mo pinipilit isamang mamasyal. Naka-wheel chair na nga eh. Hindi na nakapaglalakad. Kung kelan ngayong hindi na nakakakain, tsaka pipilitin ng mga anak, "Nanay, kumain kayo." At kung kelan nakahiga na sa ospital, at hindi na effective ang gamot, tsaka sasabihing, "Nanay, sige na, uminom ka na ng gamot." Para saan?
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, the challenge in today's reading is - Is there any Lazarus in my life? Are there any people begging on my doorstep? Mayroon bang mga Lazarus sa buhay ko na nagpapalimos, o kaya'y hindi na nagsasalita, nakaupo na lamang sa pintuan ng aking buhay, dahil hindi ko pinapansin, sa gitna ng aking pagpapasasa sa sarili kong kasiyahan? Lent is a time to examine ourselves why we are created, and what have we become.
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, life is short, death is certain. Sayang kung sa maiksing buhay, hindi ko man lamang napagtuunan ng pansin, at baka pagdating ng araw, kabilang ako sa isang taong dating mayaman, na ngayon ay naninikluhod sa Diyos na sana po naman, ay malapatan lamang ng isang patak na tubig ang aking nauuhaw na labi.
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, how we live our lives today, will dictate where we are going to spend eternity. Dalawa lang naman po ang ating pupuntahan, di po ba? Smoking....or non-smoking. (laughs) 'Yan lang ang pupuntahan natin pagkatapos dito. Kahit na naninigarilyo kayo, alam kong ayaw n'yo sa smoking area pagkatapos dito.
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