Gospel Reflection

May 15, 2013

Wednesday – Year of Faith – Easter Season

by Rev. Fr. Jose D. Sumampong, Jr.

(Assistant Resident Priest, St. Anthony of Padua Quasi-Parish, third District, Tagbilaran City, Bohol)

6:00PM Mass, St. Joseph the Worker Cathedral, Tagbilaran City, Bohol

 

Reading 1 Acts 20:28-38

At Miletus, Paul spoke to the presbyters of the Church of Ephesus: “Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the Church of God that he acquired with his own Blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock. And from your own group, men will come forward perverting the truth to draw the disciples away after them. So be vigilant and remember that for three years, night and day, I unceasingly admonished each of you with tears. And now I commend you to God and to that gracious word of his that can build you up and give you the inheritance among all who are consecrated. I have never wanted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You know well that these very hands have served my needs and my companions. In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort we must help the weak, and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

When he had finished speaking he knelt down and prayed with them all. They were all weeping loudly as they threw their arms around Paul and kissed him, for they were deeply distressed that he had said that they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship.

Responsorial Psalm PS 68:29-30, 33-35a, 35bc-36ab

R. (33a) Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Show forth, O God, your power,
the power, O God, with which you took our part;
For your temple in Jerusalem
let the kings bring you gifts.
R. Sing to God, O Kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God,
chant praise to the Lord
who rides on the heights of the ancient heavens.
Behold, his voice resounds, the voice of power:
“Confess the power of God!”
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Over Israel is his majesty;
his power is in the skies.
Awesome in his sanctuary is God, the God of Israel;
he gives power and strength to his people.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel Jn 17:11b-19

Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying: “Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.”

HOMILY

This Sunday, we are going to commemorate one of the great solemnities of our Church - the day of the Pentecost. When you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, the easiest way to understand the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, in our families, in our Christian communities, and in the world around us, is to understand the Church's teaching about prayer. It is because prayer is the movement of the Holy Spirit in us. When we pray, we are creating a kind of space in our life. And what is that space for? That is the space for the Holy Spirit who descended from God, from the heavens. When we pray, we let the Spirit of God occupy the inner space in our life that we are reserving for it. That is why in order to understand the Feast of the Pentecost in our Church, we go into a vigil - a moment of prayer for Pentecost. 

If we take note of today's Gospel, Jesus was praying. And when He was praying, His basic attitude, according to the Gospel of John, was to look up to the heavens and pray. Why look up the heavens? This is to welcome the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

What was the prayer of Jesus? There are two things. Number one, Jesus prayed that we will all be united. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit that unifies us. People from all walks of life, people from all races, regardless of the color of our skin - are united through the Holy Spirit. Second, Jesus prayed that we are to be consecrated, that we are to be made whole. That is why we have to create in our life an empty space within ourselves in order to accommodate the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

I remember Thomas Merton, a very popular monk. He was asked what he wanted in life. And he said that he wants to be a good Catholic. His companion said, "Thomas, don't just be a good Catholic. Be a saint." And that opened a new world for Thomas Merton. As he was open to the possibility that he can be a saint, Thomas dedicated 27 years of his life in prayer and in accepting the movement of the Holy Spirit in his life. 

Let us bow down our heads and pray. God our Father, we are anticipating this Sunday the gift of the Holy Spirit to Your Church. Through that gift, the Church becomes alive. We ask You, O Lord, that we may create in each one of us, through prayer, a space to accommodate very gently this gift in our life. Amen.

Gospel of the Day

May 14, 2013

Tuesday – Year of Faith – Easter Season

Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle

 

Reading 1 Acts 1:15-17, 20-26

Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers and sisters (there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the one place). He said, “My brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus. Judas was numbered among us and was allotted a share in this ministry. For it is written in the Book of Psalms:

Let his encampment become desolate, and may no one dwell in it. and: May another take his office.

Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us, become with us a witness to his resurrection.” So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.” Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the Eleven Apostles.

Responsorial Psalm PS 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

R. (8) The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. 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. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. 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. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
R. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
To seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people.
R. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel Jn 15:9-17

Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.” 

Gospel of the Day

May 13, 2013

Monday – Year of Faith – Easter Season

 

Reading 1 Acts 19:1-8

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior of the country and down to Ephesus where he found some disciples.  He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They answered him, “We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” He said, “How were you baptized?” They replied, “With the baptism of John.” Paul then said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Altogether there were about twelve men.

He entered the synagogue, and for three months debated boldly with persuasive arguments about the Kingdom of God.

Responsorial Psalm PS 68:2-3ab, 4-5acd, 6-7ab

R. (33a) Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God arises; his enemies are scattered,
and those who hate him flee before him.
As smoke is driven away, so are they driven;
as wax melts before the fire.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
But the just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
Sing to God, chant praise to his name;
whose name is the LORD.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The father of orphans and the defender of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel Jn 16:29-33

The disciples said to Jesus, “Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech. Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now? Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” 

Gospel Reflection

May 12, 2013

Sunday – Year of Faith – Easter Season

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (Mother’s Day)

by Rev. Fr. Caloy Reyes (Executive Secretary, CBCP Episcopal Commission on Interreligious Dialogue)

12:15PM Mass, Mary, Queen of Peace Shrine (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)

 

Reading 1 Acts 1:1-11

In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 

R. (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2 Eph 1:17-23

Brothers and sisters: May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him. May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe,
in accord with the exercise of his great might: which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens, far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Or  Heb 9:24-28; 10:19-23

Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that he might now appear before God on our behalf.  Not that he might offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly from the foundation of the world. But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away sin by his sacrifice.  Just as it is appointed that men and women die once, and after this the judgment, so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since through the blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, and since we have "a great priest over the house of God,” let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy.

Gospel Lk 24:46-53

Jesus said to his disciples: “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.  And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God.

HOMILY

Today, we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. The good thing is Jesus ascended 40 days after He has risen from the dead. However, we move the celebration to Sunday so that a greater part of the faithful may profit from the celebration of this feast day. 

As Jesus ascended into heaven, taking on His past instructions to His disciples - we are His disciples - He said that we are witnesses of Jesus' suffering, of His death and His being buried, and His Resurrection. And this witnessing of Jesus Christ continues to this day through the ministry of the Church. So we are witnesses, and we proclaim the paschal mystery of our Lord. We proclaim His Ascension to the ends of the world, and until the end of time, we are witnesses. Another word for witness is martyrs. So we are all martyrs for our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, and thus completed the work of salvation. We know that our Lord Jesus Christ came from heaven, from on high, and then He descended to us and became a human being, and He descended even lower, because after He died, he was buried....and He was risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven. Now, this will complete the cycle. It is like a parabola. The graph of salvation is like a graph of a parabola. 

But we are witnesses. And we must always be witnesses. Jesus said that He is sending us the Holy Spirit. We have been baptized and confirmed with the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that changes us. The Disciples were really changed after the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them. 

We Catholics believe in what we call created grace...First, we have uncreated grace - ito po 'yong grasya na binibigay na po ng Diyos, na galing sa Diyos. It is divine grace. And that uncreated grace brings about created grace. Iba naman 'yon. Binabago 'yong tao talaga. Ano po 'yong state ng tao bago mag-original sin? It is original innocence. Pero noong nagkasala ang tao, nagkaroon na ng original sin. With created grace, babalik tayo sa original innocence. At naniniwala tayo na babaguhin talaga tayo. Gagawin tayong tunay na anak ng Diyos. 

At kailangan lang na makipag-cooperate tayo sa Espiritu Santo. And our greatest grace will be the Holy Spirit. At araw-araw dahil bininyagan tayo, umuulan ng Espiritu Santo...araw-araw. Kapag umuulan, alam ng ulan kung ano ang dapat niyang gawin - magdidilig ng tuyong halaman, magtatanggal ng init, magtatanggal ng uhaw, alam niya ang dapat niyang gawin, kaya ang ulan ay grasya. 

Now tayo, tayo 'yong timba, tayo ang sasalok ng grasya. Ano ang dapat nating gawin? Yong grasya ng Diyos, dapit nating kunin. Pero kung 'yong timba nakataob, meron bang masasakop? Kung talagang pasaway ka, ayaw mo, hindi ka naman mapipilit ng Diyos, eh. Sasabihin Niya sa iyo, kung ayaw mo, ayaw mo nga. Kaya kung nakataob ka, uulan ng grasya, pero wala kang makukuha. Pero kung papayag ka, itatayo ka nang maayos, para makasalok ka ng grasya. Syempre, kung butas-butas 'yong timba, marami kang sugat, ano'ng gagawin mo sa butas? Patatapalan mo ng grasya, ano. Kung papayag ka. Pero kung ayaw mong patapal, ano'ng magagawa natin? May mga taong gano'n, talagang kahit ano'ng sabihin mo, ayaw.

Therefore, we should cooperate. Next week will already be Pentecost Sunday, darating na ang Holy Spirit. Every sin will be forgiven except blasphemy to the Holy Spirit, and that is if you do not believe. Pag sinabi mong ayoko ng grasya, 'yon ang blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Hindi mapapatawad 'yon. Bakit? Hindi dahil ayaw magpatawad ng Diyos kundi dahil hindi kayang patawarin. 

Then Jesus led the Disciples as far as Bethany, and blessed them. And while He was blessing them, Jesus ascended into heaven. So hindi pa tapos ang blessing ay umakyat na si Jesus sa langit. Ano'ng ibig sabihin no'n? In the Gospel, the Disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy. Bakit masaya sila? Masaya sila kasi hindi naman talaga sila iiwanan ni Hesus. Kaya dapat, hindi din tayo malulungkot kasi hindi tayo iniwanan ni Hesus. Sabi niya, araw-araw ay bine-bless tayo. Hanggang ngayon, bine-bless pa rin tayo. Paano tayo bine-bless eh nasa langit na Siya? Nasa langit na Siya, kasama ang Kanyang Ama, at sinasabi Niyang doon tayo pupunta. 

Iniwanan ba talaga tayo ni Hesus? Iniwanan ba tayo? Nasaan si Hesus ngayon? Nasa simbahan. At sino ang simbahan? Ikaw. So nasaan si Hesus sa simbahan na ito, nasaan Siya? Nandoon Siya sa tabernacle. Mamaya, ipapakain ko sa inyo - sino? Si Hesus. So nasaan na si Hesus? Pag kinain mo, nasaan Siya? Saan Siya pupunta? Sa tiyan mo. (laughs) Tapos pupunta na Siya sa dugo at laman mo. So paanong sasabihin mong iniwan ka Niya, eh magkasama na nga kayo? Paano pa kayo mapapaghiwalay? Eh kung may cancer ka, may cancer din si Jesus, di ba? Hindi tayo iiwanan ni Hesus. Kaya masayang masaya ang mga Apostol. 

In the First Reading, sabi nga may mga nagtatanong. Ano'ng mangyayari, will Jesus restore the kingdom now? They want to know something about the future. Lahat tayo, gusto natin ganoon ano. Ano kaya ang mangyayari bukas? Kaya nga ang sinasabi ni Jesus Christ, huwag kayong pupunta sa mga manghuhula. Hindi importante 'yon. Ang importante, gawin mo ang dapat mong gawin. He is not going to ask about what is going to happen. No. Do what you are supposed to do. 

Si Hesus ay bababa din, pero ngayong umakyat na Siya sa langit, dapat nating gawin ang trabaho natin dito sa lupa. We should not be concerned about things of this world, and we must, as much as possible, bring the Gospel to the world. Mahirap 'yon, mahirap gawin, but we have to be perfected. 

Jesus Christ has risen, He has not left us. He has given us a mission here to promote the Kingdom of God.