Gospel Reflection

January 18, 2014

Saturday – Ordinary Time

by Rev. Fr. (Major) Daniel D. Tansip, VHS (Vicar Forane, Vicariate of Palawan, Military Ordinariate of the Philippines)

12:15PM Mass at Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel (Greenbelt Chapel), Makati 

Reading 1 1 sm 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1

There was a stalwart man from Benjamin named Kish, who was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite. He had a son named Saul, who was a handsome young man. There was no other child of Israel more handsome than Saul; he stood head and shoulders above the people.

Now the asses of Saul’s father, Kish, had wandered off. Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go out and hunt for the asses.” Accordingly they went through the hill country of Ephraim, and through the land of Shalishah. Not finding them there, they continued through the land of Shaalim without success. They also went through the land of Benjamin, but they failed to find the animals.

When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD assured him, “This is the man of whom I told you; he is to govern my people.”

Saul met Samuel in the gateway and said, “Please tell me where the seer lives.” Samuel answered Saul: “I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today. In the morning, before dismissing you, I will tell you whatever you wish.”

Then, from a flask he had with him, Samuel poured oil on Saul’s head; he also kissed him, saying: “The LORD anoints you commander over his heritage. You are to govern the LORD’s people Israel, and to save them from the grasp of their enemies roundabout.

“This will be the sign for you that the LORD has anointed you commander over his heritage.”

 

Responsorial Psalm ps 21:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R. (2a) Lord, in your strength the king is glad.
O LORD, in your strength the king is glad;
in your victory how greatly he rejoices!
You have granted him his heart’s desire;
you refused not the wish of his lips.
R. Lord, in your strength the king is glad.
For you welcomed him with goodly blessings,
you placed on his head a crown of pure gold.
He asked life of you: you gave him
length of days forever and ever.
R. Lord, in your strength the king is glad.
Great is his glory in your victory;
majesty and splendor you conferred upon him.
For you made him a blessing forever;
you gladdened him with the joy of your face.
R. Lord, in your strength the king is glad.

 

Gospel mk 2:13-17

Jesus went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed Jesus. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”  Jesus heard this and said to them, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

HOMILY

Marami po sa ating mga Pilipino ang madasalin. Marami po sa atin ang relihiyoso. At makikita natin ito sapagkat marami sa atin ang nagsisimba, hindi lamang tuwing Linggo, kundi araw-araw. Marami rin sa ating mga Pilipino ang namamanata. Kaya naman malapit sa puso ng mga Pilipino ang debosyon sa Black Nazarene. Nakita natin noong January 9 ang napakaraming deboto sa Nazareno. Kahit na sila ay nasasaktan, sila ay nagtitiyaga, makahipo lamang sa Nazareno.

Marami din po sa atin ang deboto ng ating patron sa Greenbelt Chapel na si Sto. Nino. Sa Cebu, siguradong bukas ay punong-puno ang simbahan ng mga deboto ni Sto. Nino. Sana po ang debosyong ito ay hindi mauwi sa isang palabas lang, na hindi naman nagpapalawig ng ating ugnayan sa Diyos. Ito po ay hindi isang agimat. Sana hindi lamang po manatili sa pamamanata ang ating debosyon. Ito ay dapat magpalalim ng ating pananampalataya, na siyang magiging daan upang maging mabuting tao tayo. Pagkatapos ng piyesta, ano na? Balik ka ba sa dating gawi, o may nagbago sa iyo? Maging aware po tayo kung saan na po ba tayo dinadala ng ating pagsisimba o pagdarasal. 

Ngayon ay binuksan na po natin ang bagong panahon sa ating simbahan - ang Ordinaryong Panahon, pagkatapos ng panahon ng Kapaskuhan na natapos sa Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Ang Ordinaryong Panahon po ay 7 1/2 weeks na paghahanda bago ang Lenten season. Ano ang gagawin natin? Ano ang paghahandaan natin? 

Nakikipag-usap sa atin si Kristo at dahil dito ay nagkakaroon tayo ng kakayahan na magkaroon ng transformation to His image and likeness - an image of godliness, with a God-like attitude. The Ordinary Season will prepare us toward the Lenten season and will keep us aware of the presence of Jesus within us. Ang Ordinaryong panahon ang magdadala sa atin sa pagninilay sa mga salita ni Kristo at tulad ng sa ating mga Pagbasa, ay magpapa-alala po sa atin na lahat po tayo ay tinawag na maging disipulo ng Panginoon sa iba't ibang pamamaraan. At tinitiyak ng Panginoon na tayo ay makatutugon sa pagtawag Niya. At sa patuloy ng pagninilay ng Kanyang Salita, sa ating araw-araw na pamumuhay, bibigyan Niya tayo ng kakayanan na sumunod kay Kristo. 

Kaya magandang tanungin natin sa simula ng ating paglalakbay sa Ordinaryong Panahon - paano tayo magiging tapat sa ating bokasyon? Una ay ang pagpapatuloy sa pakikinig ng Salita ng Diyos sa pamamagitan ng pagsisimba. Ikalawa ay ang pagsasabuhay ng gospel values, ng Salita ng Diyos na na-aayon sa nais ng Diyos na mangyari sa atin bilang mga binyagan ng Diyos at mga tinawag Niya. Ikatlo ay ang pagpapatuloy na pagdarasal araw-araw. Minsan po ay naiisip natin na paulit-ulit lang ang ating dasal. Ngunit huwag po tayong manghinawa, huwag po tayong mapagod, huwag po tayong mawalan ng gana, kapag tayo ay nagdarasal. Kahit na tayo ay nasa Ordinaryong Panahon sa ating Simbahan, ang ibig sabihin ay walang masyadong pagdiriwang, gamitin po natin ang pagkakataong ito upang personal na maghanda ng ating sarili nang sa gayon, kapag pumasok na ang panahon ng Kuwaresma o Lenten season, masasabi nating totoo nga na napaghandaan natin ang paanyaya ng Diyos sa ating lahat na tinawag Niya. Sa ngalan ng Ama, ng Anak at ng Espiritu Santo. Amen. 

Gospel Reflection

October 26, 2013

Saturday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

by Rev. Fr. David 'Dave' T. Buenaventura, SDB
Councilor & Pugad Centre Director and Counsellor, St. John Bosco Parish, Makati
7:30AM Mass, St. John Bosco Parish Church (Don Bosco Church), Makati

Reading 1 Rom 8:1-11

Brothers and sisters: Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed you from the law of sin and death. For what the law, weakened by the flesh, was powerless to do, this God has done: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for the sake of sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous decree of the law might be fulfilled in us, who live not according to the flesh but according to the spirit. For those who live according to the flesh are concerned with the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit with the things of the spirit.  The concern of the flesh is death, but the concern of the spirit is life and peace. For the concern of the flesh is hostility toward God; it does not submit to the law of God, nor can it; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you.

Responsorial Psalm PS 24:1b-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Gospel Lk 13:1-9

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He said to them in reply,  “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way  they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed  when the tower at Siloam fell on them— do you think they were more guilty  than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”

And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,  and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree  but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also,  and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;  it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”

HOMILY

Just a brief reflection on our Gospel for today's liturgy. 

What can a barren fig tree tell us about the Kingdom of God? Fig trees are a common and important source of food for the Jews. A decaying fig tree was used in the Gospel to mean evil deeds and spiritual decay. The fruitless fig tree symbolized the outcome of Israel's unresponsiveness to the Word of God. The prophets depicted the languishing tree as a symbol of destruction that would fall on Israel because of their unfaithfulness to God. We find this in the books of Joel, Habakkuk and likewise, the book of Jeremiah. And Jeremiah, himself, said that evil people are like rotten figs. 

Can the parable of a barren fig tree be a warning to us also? We can ask ourselves - are we responsive to the Word of God? Is the Word of God part of our spiritual nourishment? Do we use the Word of God for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for trimming to righteousness, as we find in the letter of Paul to Timothy?

The parable of the barren fig tree also shows the patience of God. But at the same time, it contains a warning that we should not presume upon it. God gives us time to get right with Him, but the time is not tomorrow. It is always now. We must not assume that there is no hurry. A sudden or unexpected death gives us no time to prepare, to settle one's accounts, when we stand before the Lord on the Day of Judgment. The Lord wants us to be ready at all times. 

Tolerating sinful habits and excusing unrepented sin will result in bad fruit and eventual destruction. The Lord, in His mercy, gives us both grace and time to turn away from sin and from worldliness. But that time, again, is not tomorrow, but it is now. If we delay it even for a day, we may discover that God's grace has passed us by, and our time is up. Do we hunger for the Lord's righteousness and holiness?

This is my Word of Life for you this morning, in the form of a prayer. Lord, increase my hunger for Your righteousness and holiness. May I embrace the grace of the present moment, to say 'yes' to You, to Your will, and to Your way of holiness. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Gospel Reflection

October 19, 2013

Saturday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

Memorial of Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests, and Companions, Martyrs

by Rev. Fr. (Major) Daniel D. Tansip, VHS (Vicar Forane, Vicariate of Palawan, Military Ordinariate of the Philippines)
12:15PM Mass at Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel (Greenbelt Chapel), Makati

Reading 1 Rom 4:13, 16-18

Brothers and sisters: It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. For this reason, it depends on faith,  so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us, as it is written, I have made you father of many nations. He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist. He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become the father of many nations, according to what was said, Thus shall your descendants be.

Responsorial Psalm PS 105:6-7, 8-9, 42-43

R. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations –
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
For he remembered his holy word
to his servant Abraham.
And he led forth his people with joy;
with shouts of joy, his chosen ones.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

Gospel Lk 12:8-12

Jesus said to his disciples:  “I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.

“Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say.  For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”

HOMILY

Kahapon ay muntik na po akong mag-collapse. Bilang military priest po kasi ay kasama ako palagi sa tinatawag na quarterly physical fitness test na kailangang ipasa, dahil kung hindi ay matatanggal ka. Noong ako po ay nagpu-push up, tinanong ko po 'yong sundalo. Sabi ko, "Bro, ilan ba ang passing ko? 47 na ako." At ang sabi niya, "Sir, 40 times po. 40 push-ups po ang kailangan." Noong bata pa ako ay kayang kaya ko 'yon, pero ngayong may-edad na ako, eh medyo hindi ko na yata kaya ang 40. Pero pipilitin ko, kasi sa military, hindi na baleng mamatay, huwag lang mapahiya. (laughs)

Noong nagpu-push up ako, sabi ng sundalo kong kasama, "Pit lang, Sir. Pit lang." Ano kayang 'pit' ang pinagsasabi niya? "Pit lang, Sir. Pit lang." Naka-50 push ups ako, tama na, passing na ako. Dumating kami sa sit-ups, kailangan din ng 40 para makapasa. Medyo nahirapan ako sa sit-ups pero sabi ng sundalo, "Sir, pit lang, Sir. Pit lang!" Sa loob-loob ko, ano ba itong pinagsasabi nito? Umabot din ako ng 40 at hirap na hirap na ako, pero nakapasa pa rin. Eto na, takbuhan na. Ang 25 miles ay kailangang tapusin in 21 minutes and 59 seconds. Sige, takbo naman. At sa huling ikutan, sa huling round, sigaw nang sigaw ang sundalo, "Sir, pit lang, Sir. Pit lang!" Bandang huli, natapos ko rin ang pagtakbo, awa ng Diyos, in 20 minutes and 9 seconds. Pasado si Father, awa ng Diyos.

Tinawag ko ang sundalo at sabi ko, "Kanina ka pa sabi nang sabi ng 'pit'. Ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng 'pit'? At ang sabi ng sundalo, "Sir, lay minister ako sa probinsiya namin. 'Pit' lang ba. Pananampalataya na ligtas ka. (loud laughs) 'Pit'. Faith pala ang sinasabi niya, grabe. (more laughs)

Kahit na masakit ang katawan ko, pinatawag ako ng operations at kasama daw ako sa security advance party sa arrival ng Pangulo. Wala naman tayong magawa sapagkat tayo ay sundalo. Naalala ko ang sinabi sa akin ng sundalo, "Sir, pit lang, Sir."

My dear friends, sa buong linggo pong nagdaan, mula Lunes hanggang kahapon, pinagnilayan po natin ang paniniwala na tayo ay maliligtas sa pamamagitan ng ating pananampalataya kay Kristo. Sa buong Linggo, 'yon ang reflection natin. Sinabi ni Hesus sa isang tagpo, 'Your faith has been your salvation.' Sinabi nga ni Apostol Pablo sa kanyang pagtuturo, ang pangakong binigay sa kanya ng Diyos ay applicable din sa ating lahat na sumasampalataya sa Panginoon. Sa ating spiritual journey of faith, tayo po ay lumalakad, naglalakbay alinsunod sa mga pinagdaanan din ni Abraham.

There are times when things seem to make no sense to us, giving us burdens instead of blessings, sorrow instead of joy, pain instead of comfort. Minsan, pinapupunta tayo ni Lord sa isang situwasyon na kung saan ay mahihirapan tayo at hindi tayo komportable sa buhay. Tinitingnan po kung hanggang saan ang ating pananampalataya. Dinadaan tayo ni Lord sa situwasyon na wari ay walang katugunan o solusyon sa problema. Gayunpaman, may posibilidad na dahil po doon ay talikuran po natin ang ating pananampalataya. Ang Diyos ay tapat sa atin, ngunit hindi po ito guarantee na tayo ay mananatiling tapat din kay Kristo. Paminsan-minsan, we also fall down. Kaya nga sa Ebanghelyo ngayon, si Lord ay nagtuturo ng dalawang paraan na kung saan tayo ay nagkakasala laban sa pananampalataya. One way is to fail to bear public witness to Him, to disown Him in the presence of the people around us, for fear of rejection or because of our desire to gain favor. We may be tempted to deny what we believe. Minsan, dine-deny natin na tayo ay Katoliko, or we compromise our faith. Ito 'yong temptation na dapat ay paglabanan natin. Ipinunla po ng Diyos ang pananampalataya sa ating mga puso, pero kailangan pong pagyabungin ito at ipahayag, ipakita at patunayan, lalo na sa mga pagkakataong tayo ay tinatanong tungkol sa ating pananampalatayang Kristiyano.

Noong isang araw po ay nagdaos ng misa sa isa sa mga nagibang simbahan sa Bohol dahil sa nakaraang malakas na lindol, at ito ay dinaluhan ng napakaraming Boholano. Ito po ay ang pagpapakita ng malakas na pananampalataya sa kabila ng trahedya. Kahit na may unos, kahit na puno ang isipan ng mga Boholano ng pag-aagam-agam kung bakit hinayaan ng Diyos na mangyari ito, nariyan pa rin sila, patuloy na nananampalataya. Napakaganda ng sinabi ng Obispo ng Bohol na ang mga nangyaring ito ay hindi nakaplano, kaya dapat ito ay tanggapin sapagkat dito masusukat ang ating pananampalataya. Hindi sila naghanap ng sisisihin.

Kaya makikita po natin na ang pananampalataya ay napakahalaga. Failure to stand for God and the truth of the Gospel is an offense, not only against faith, but also against truth and love. God cannot bestow His favor on a person, lest he repents. This is what Jesus meant when He said that He will 'restore in the presence of the angels of God'.

Ang isa pang kasalanan laban sa ating pananampalataya ay ang blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Hindi po tinutukoy dito ang offensive na paggamit sa pangalan ng Diyos, kundi mas malalim pa ang tinutukoy dito. It means a refusal to submit to God and to accept His mercy. Isang kasalanan ang magkaroon tayo ng matigas na puso sa Diyos at ang hindi pagbabago at pagsisisi sa ating mga kasalanan. Paano tayo mapapatawad kung wala naman sa atin ang paghingi ng tawad at pagtanggap ng kapatawaran mula sa ating Panginoong Diyos?

Kaya nga po dinadala tayo ni Lord upang maliwanagan ang ating pag-iisip, at magsisi tayo sa ating mga kasalanan, at huwag maging matigas ang ating puso, upang mapunan tayo ng grasya ng Banal ng Espiritu Santo, at ng kaligtasang walang hanggan. Siguro magandang isipin po natin ang mga pagkakataong nasubukan po at pinangatawanan po natin ang ating pananampalataya sa kabila ng mga takot at limitasyon natin sa buhay. Nawa'y patuloy po tayong mabuhay, alinsunod sa ating pananampalataya sa Diyos. Nawa'y matulungan tayo ng ating mahal na Birheng Maria upang matuto tayong tanggapin si Kristo nang may matibay na pananampalataya at tanggapin ang Kanyang awa at habag. Matuto nawa tayong magpakumbaba, aminin ang ating mga pagkukulang, at humingi ng tawad at awa sa Diyos. Mahirap ang pag-amin ng kasalanan nang may pagpapakumbaba sa harap ng Diyos, pero kung ito'y magagawa natin, simula ito ng magandang hakbangin tungo sa pagbabalik-loob sa Diyos. Higit pa nating gamitin ang ating pananampalataya kay Kristo. Sa ngalan ng Ama, ng Anak, at ng Espiritu Santo, Amen.