Friday, April 5, 2013

Gospel Reflection



April 05, 2013
Friday – Year of Faith – Easter Season
First Friday of the Month – In the Octave of Easter
by Fr. Dominador “Domie” G. Guzman Jr. (Society of Saint Paul)
12;15PM Mass at Megamall, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord
                         
Reading 1 Acts 4:1-12

After the crippled man had been cured, while Peter and John were still speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees confronted them, disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They laid hands on Peter and John and put them in custody until the next day, since it was already evening. But many of those who heard the word came to believe and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

On the next day, their leaders, elders, and scribes were assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly class. They brought them into their presence and questioned them, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them, “Leaders of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 118:1-2 and 4, 22-24, 25-27a

R. (22) The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, grant salvation!
O LORD, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, and he has given us light.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel Jn 21:1-14

Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish. When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.


HOMILY

Pagkatapos po ng 40 days na Kuwaresma, ng ating paghahanda, at pagkatapos ng isang linggong Semana Santa kung saan ay ginunita natin ang Pasyon ng Panginoon, last Sunday, we celebrated Easter, ang Pasko ng Pagkabuhay ng Panginoon. At ito pong Pasko ng Pagkabuhay ay ise-celebrate natin for 50 days. Sa loob ng 50 days, longer than Kuwaresma, itong malaking kandilang ito na simbulo ng muling pagkabuhay ng Panginoon ay mananatili sa altar, at sisindihan sa bawat misa. The last day of Easter, 50 days after Easter Sunday, is going to be Pentecost Sunday.
Sa loob ng 50 days na ito, itong unang linggo mula po noong Easter Sunday hanggang sa darating na Linggo o bukas ng gabi, ang bisperas ng Unang Linggo ng Easter, na kung tawagin natin ngayon ay Divine Mercy Sunday, itong unang linggong ito ng Easter ay tinatawag nating Octave. Have you ever asked or tried to find out why it is called Octave Easter? Bakit may kakaibang pangalan ang unang linggong ito pagkatapos po ng Easter Sunday? Ang eksplanasyon po ay simple. Itong buong linggong ito, we call it the Octave of Easter, because every day, ang bawat ebanghelyong binabasa natin sa bawat misa ay ibinabalik tayo sa first day of the week, which is Easter Sunday. Maraming naganap noong maghapon na iyon ng Easter Sunday na nakatala sa apat na Ebanghelyo na hindi natin pwedeng sabay sabaying basahin lahat sa isang hapon o isang umaga ng Easter Sunday. And so the Church in the Liturgy has made it a point that for eight days, whether it is Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday or now it is Friday of the Easter Octave, it is still Easter Sunday. Ang Ebanghelyo pa rin ay tungkol sa mga naganap sa first day of the week, which is Easter Sunday. Kaya nga po sa buong linggong ito ay kailangan pa rin nating awitin ang Gloria.
Ano po ba ang halaga ng mga kwentong ito ng Easter Sunday? I think, my dear friends, hindi lamang kwento ito tungkol sa naganap sa Panginoon, kundi it is actually in Easter that we begin to realize that it is the Lord - si Hesus ay hindi lamang si Hesukristo, kundi siya ang Panginoong Hesukristo. It is the Lord, sabi nga po ni St. John sa Gospel po natin ngayon. The Lordship of Jesus happens in Easter time. Dito, dahan-dahang napagtanto ng mga unang alagad na si Kristo ay hindi isang karaniwang propeta, kundi isang Propeta at Mesiyas na kaisa ng pagka-Diyos ng Ama.
Alam n'yo po, ibang iba ang Resurrection ng Panginoon. Marami ang mga pinaghimalaan ng Diyos na muling nabuhay na patay. Si Lazaro, 'yong anak ni Jairo, 'yong anak ng isang balo sa Naim. Pero ibang iba po ang Resurrection ng Panginoon. Si Lazaro at ang iba pang binuhay sa kamatayan, were still subject to the law of death. Namatay pa rin sila pagkatapos. Si Kristo sa Kanyang muling pagkabuhay, sabi nga natin, death has no more power over Him. Ang Kanyang pagkabuhay ay isang pagkabuhay na tuloy tuloy. Kaya nga iba rin ang Kanyang naging katawan.
Napansin ba ninyo, hindi Siya agad nakilala ni Maria Magdalena, o ni Juan, o ni Pedro? Tignan n'yo nga 'yang katabi n'yo. Kung 'yan ay mawala ng tatlong araw, at muling makikita n'yo, makikilala n'yo ba? Natural, di ba? Wala namang malaking pagbabago eh. Pero si Hesus noong muling nabuhay on the third day, hindi agad nakilala sapagkat sabi nila, He was having the glorified body. 'Yong katawan na hindi na mamamatay. Sabi nila ang katawang 'yon ay katawang binuhay ng Diyos at its best, at the prime of life.
Eh tignan n'yo 'yang katabi n'yo. Pag nagkita kayo sa langit, hindi ganyan ang mukha niyan. Hindi n'yo 'yan makikilala, kasi ang Resurrection sa ngalan ni Hesus, is a Resurrection in the prime of life. Kaya nga sabi ko, "Hay salamat, magkakabuhok uli ako." (laughs) So 'yong mga nasa langit, que namatay ka nang 80 years old o namatay ka nang 95 or 75 o 13 years old, lahat magmumukhang guwapo at bata, ano? Isipin n'yo kung 95 ka namatay, tapos bubuhayin ka, 95 din ang mukha mo (laughs)...di ba lugi yata. Eh di mabuti pang mamatay ka nang 13 years old. So the glorified body is something different.
But brothers and sisters, what I think is very important for us to learn. Mula dito sa ating Ebanghelyo ngayon, paano ba finally nakapagsabi 'yong mga disciples that it is the Lord, na si Hesus nga ito, ang Panginoon? Sabi nga ni John, it is the Lord. Meron pong dalawang nakitang katangian ang mga alagad nang makita nila si Hesus sa kwento ng ating Ebanghelyo ngayon.
Ang setting po ng Ebanghelyo ay ang Sea of Galilee na kung tawagin kung minsan ay Sea of Tiberias sa wikang Latin, at Sea of Gennesaret. Iisang lugar lang 'yon. 'Yon po ang lake sa Norte ng Israel. Doon kalimitang nangisda, tumawid, nagbangka si Hesus at ang Kanyang mga alagad. Doon bumalik si Pedro. At ano ang sabi ni Pedro? "I am going out to fish." Ano ang ibig sabihin noon mga kapatid? Sabi niya sa mga kasama niyang alagad, "Wala na. Tapos na. Lugi tayo sa taya. Balik tayo sa pangingisda." Tatlong taon nilang iniwan ang pangingisda, ang kanilang mga nets, ang kanilang mga bangka. Namuhunan sila kay Hesus kasi akala nila, pag si Hesus ay dumating sa Herusalem at naging hari, isa sa kanan, isa sa kaliwa ang uupo. Kaya sabi ni Pedro, "Wala na mga kapatid. Balik tayo sa pangingisda."
Nakita n'yo? Pati 'yong mga isda, hindi nagpakita sa kanila. Nakuha 'yong kanilang negative vibes, 'no? Tingnan n'yo 'yang katabi n'yo. Negative ba 'yan? (laughs) Di ba ramdam mo 'yan kapag negative vibes, kahit malayo pa? 'Yong mga isda alam nila negative vibes sila Pedro. Down na down, kaya wala silang nakitang isda magdamag. But this was the first mark that they saw. Pagdating ni Hesus, nag-iba lahat. Hindi lang dumami ang huli, kundi mukhang umaliwalas ang kanilang pakiramdam.
Many times in that lake of Galilee, ganoon din ang ginawa ni Hesus sa kanila. Sa gitna ng bagyo na akala nila ay lulubog na sila, nagpakitang naglalakad sa tubig si Hesus, at nabuhayan sila ng loob. The very first indication that the disciples realized it is the Lord is that they saw that this Man who was there with them, is a bringer of power and hope. Kapangyarihan at pag-asa ang Kanyang dala.
Pero maliban do'n, nabuhayan uli sila, because secondly, pagbalik sa pangpang, walang pinagbago. Siya pa rin ang nagluto, Siya pa rin ang naghain, Siya pa rin ang nag-anyaya ng almusal. Jesus remains to be the servant. The servant who is powerful, ano po? Hindi ba noong Huwebes Santo, 'yon ang halimbawang binigay ni Hesus sa kanila. Hinugasan ang kanilang paa. Ito ang naging indikasyon nila upang sabihing si Hesus nga ito. Walang kaduda-duda. He brings power and hope, and yet, He continues to be a humble servant.
Brothers and sisters, tayong mga Kristiyano ay bininyagan sa ngalan ni Hesus na muling nabuhay. Dapat, 'yan din ang laman ng buhay natin. Unang-una, na tayo ay maging tagapagdala ng pag-asa at kapangyarihan sa buhay ng iba. Easter does not remove the wounds, the sickness. Nakita n'yo itong Paschal Candle na ito. Ano'ng meron? Huh? May apoy - simbulo ng bagong buhay. Pero tignan n'yo. nakatusok pa rin ang limang pako, simbulo ng pinagpakuan. Hindi po nagpa-derma si Kristo. Hindi Niya inalis ang mga bakas ng pako upang sabihin sa atin, "Easter does not mean no more tears, no more sickness, no more pain." Hindi. Nandiyan pa rin 'yan. Pero kung talagang Easter people tayo, we will be like Jesus, bringers of hope to other people's lives and to ours. Pero maliban diyan, tulad ni Kristo, sana'y patuloy tayong humble servants of the Lord.
I was praying over this, this morning kasi alam n'yo ho, itong buong linggong ito ay special din sa akin. Last April 3, exactly last April 3, I celebrated my 25 years as a priest, ano? (applause) Easter Sunday 'yon noon. April 3, 1988 was an Easter Sunday. At tandang tanda ko 'yong sinabi ni Bishop Bacani, sapagkat siya ang nag-ordain sa amin. Ang sabi niya, "Sana tagapagdala kayo ng Easter. You should be witnesses of Easter, yayamang inordinahan kayo sa Easter." Iniisip ko - how am I a witness of Easter? Bringer of hope nga ba ako?
And I realized, totoo. Ang isang pari, hindi naman sinusolusyonan lahat eh. Kung minsan, wala ka ring magawa. Uupo ka lang, makikinig, isang oras itatapon lahat sa iyo ang lahat ng sama ng loob ng taong nagkukuwento. Pagkatapos iiwan ka at sasabihin sa 'yo, "Father, thank you, I feel better." (laughs) Tapunan ng basura. Wala naman akong ginawa kundi makining, ngumiti, kumuha ng panyo, magpahid ng konting luha kung nakakaluha ang kwento. But I think that's how you bring hope to people. You just let them be able to see the energy to move on.
Pero pangalawa, sabi ko, bringer of hope, but you continue to be a servant. Nangiti ako, sabi ko, yes. I hope I will be that way. Kaya hanggang ngayon, masaya pa rin akong nagtataxi. Pumipila, nakikipag-unahan sa MRT. Masaya kasi naririnig mo lahat ng kwento ng mga tao. Hindi naman nila ako kilalang pari eh. Pag umupo na ako sa MRT, mukha akong pulis. (laughs) Lahat ng mura, lahat ng problema ng taong nakapalibot, rinig ko. Ngumingiti lang ako. Sabi ko, ahh....ganito pala. Ganito pa rin ang buhay. You can never be a servant kung malayo ka sa realidad.
Brothers and sisters, sana gano'n din tayo. Let us always be servants, wherever we are, and bringers of hope. And may the joy of Easter shine in us. Amen.