Gospel Reflection

June 17, 2013

Monday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

by Rev. Fr. Prudencio 'Jun' T. Solomon, Jr., Parochial Vicar, Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto Parish, Sampaloc, Manila

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

Reading 1 2 Cor 6:1-10

Brothers and sisters: As your fellow workers, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says:

In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.

Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We cause no one to stumble in anything, in order that no fault may be found with our ministry; on the contrary, in everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God, through much endurance, in afflictions, hardships, constraints, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, in truthful speech, in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left; through glory and dishonor, insult and praise. We are treated as deceivers and yet are truthful; as unrecognized and yet acknowledged; as dying and behold we live; as chastised and yet not put to death; as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing and yet possessing all things.

Responsorial Psalm PS 98:1, 2b, 3ab, 3cd-4

R. (2a) The Lord has made known his salvation.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
In the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.

Gospel Mt 5:38-42

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

HOMILY

"An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." Mata sa mata, ngipin sa ngipin.

Ito ay isa sa mga patakarang itinakda ng sinaunang sambayanang Hudyo upang maging gabay at maging batayan ng makakamit na hustisya sa kanilang lipunan. At ito ay itinakda sa pangunahing kadahilanan na dapat bantayan ang kilos o galaw o gawi ng mga tao. Na sa pagkamit ng hustisya, ang tao ay hindi lumalabis, hindi dapat sumosobra.

Pero sa kasamaang-palad, sa paglipas ng panahon, ito ay ginagamit bilang batayan ng paghihiganti. Mata sa mata, ngipin sa ngipin. At dito naging pangit ang tinatawag nating ebolusyon ng patakarang ito. Sapagkat ginagamit na siya bilang panukat ng paghihiganti.

Ito ang tinatanggal ni Hesus sa ating Ebanghelyo ngayon. Hindi na mata sa mata, hindi na ngipin sa ngipin. Ang ipinapalit ni Hesus ay ang ideya ng pagpaparaya. At ang pagpaparaya ay di nangangahulugan ng pagsuko, kundi ng pagpaparaya bunsod ng pagmamahal.

Kung sa kanilang unang patakaran, ang binibigyang-diin ay 'yong pagkakasala, ang binibigyang-diin ni Hesus sa Kanyang ipinalit na pagpaparaya bunsod ng pagmamahal, ay ang kahalagahan ng tao. Na sana, sa ginagawang kabutihan sa kanya, kahit na siya'y masama, ay matinag ang kanyang budhi at konsensiya. Na matinag ang kanyang kalooban, at makita niya ang kamalian na kanyang ginagawa.

Mga kapatid, ito ang ipinapalit ni Hesus - pagpaparaya bunsod ng pagmamahal. Binibigyan ng pagkakataon ang mga nagkamali na makita ang kanilang pagkukulang, na matinag ang kanilang konsensiya sa kanilang ginagawang masama.

Mga ginigiliw kong mga kaibigan, mahirap ang itinuturo ni Hesus, ngunit ito ay hindi imposible. Maaari natin itong gawin. Maaari nating antigin ang konsensiya ng iba, lalong lalo na 'yong mga nakasasakit sa atin, sa pamamagitan nang pagiging mabuti pa rin sa kanila. At ito ang panawagan ng Panginoon. Huwag na tayong maghiganti. Huwag na natin gawing sukatan ang sakit na ibibigay sa kanila, dahil sa ating tinamo sa kanila. Mga kapatid, bakit hindi natin pigilin ang kasamaan sa pamamagitan nang pagiging mabuti? Nang sa gayon, sa awa ng Diyos, ay makita nila at maramdaman 'yong kanilang dakilang pagkakamali, at sila ay magbago at magbalik-loob.

Sabi nga ng isa sa mga nakausap ko, kapag may mga taong sobrang suwail, kill them with your kindness. Ito ang sinasabi ng Panginoon - pagpaparaya, bunsod ng pagmamahal.

Gospel Reflection

June 16, 2013

Sunday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

by Rev. Fr. Rufino "Jun" C. Sescon, Jr. - Chaplain, Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel (Greenbelt Chapel), Makati
4;30PM Sunday Mass at Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel, (Greenbelt Chapel) Makati

Reading 1 2 Sm 12:7-10, 13

Nathan said to David:  “Thus says the LORD God of Israel:  ‘I anointed you king of Israel. I rescued you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your lord’s house and your lord’s wives for your own. I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were not enough, I could count up for you still more. Why have you spurned the Lord and done evil in his sight? You have cut down Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you took his wife as your own, and him you killed with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.’ Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan answered David: “The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin: you shall not die.”

Responsorial Psalm PS 32:1-2, 5, 7, 11

R. (cf. 5c) Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Blessed is the one whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just;
exult, all you upright of heart.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.

Reading 2 Gal 2:16, 19-21

Brothers and sisters: We who know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. For through the law I died to the law, that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

Gospel Lk 7:36—8:3

A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven because she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.

HOMILY

Today, as we continue our observance of Sundays in ordinary time, in the secular sphere, we also observe a very special day. We observe Father's Day. And so before I begin my reflection, I invite all the fathers present to please stand up and be recognized by the community. Palakpakan natin ang ating mga Tatay. (loud applause from the congregation)

I don't know if I was also the one who celebrated the 4:30pm mass on Mother's Day, but just for the sake of sharing it, I said before that when it is Father's Day, almost all the restaurants are filled up, and there is really a sense of celebration. And I commented that - why is it that during Mother's Day, hindi ganoong kapuno ang mga restaurant? Sabi ko, bakit ganoon? Ibig sabihin ba no'n, mas loveable ang mga fathers, kasi mas may celebration?

And then I shared that a woman approached me after the mass and said, "I don't think so, Father, that the air is more celebratory during Father's Day, not because fathers are more loveable." And then she told me, "You know why Father? Why the restaurants are filled up, why there are many activities for Father's Day? Because the mothers are the ones organizing them. (laughs) That's why they are all filled up. Unlike Mother's Day, si Father ay di nag-o-organize daw, di nag-re-reservation, kaya parang mas masaya ang Father's Day kasi si Mommy ang nag-o-organize. Baka medyo totoo nga po iyon, ano. Kasi pag si Daddy, "Ay, Mother's Day ba?" Doon lang naalala on the day itself. Pero si Mommy, pinaghahandaan 'yan, I am sure. Kaya kayong mga Mommy - patunayan n'yong meron kayong hinandang surprise para kay Daddy.

And there is another point that I want to mention before I proceed to the reflection. You see, our Gospel is supposed to be in a longer form, but I decided to read the shorter form. Why? Because the longer form has given rise to a controversy in the Church. If you would read the Gospel of Luke in the longer form from Chapter 7 and proceed to Verses 36 to Chapter 8, the last part would mention Jesus with a group of women. And the last part would mention, 'that was the woman from whom several evil spirits were expelled, and she was named Mary Magdalene.'

But Mary Magdalene is different from the woman I just read in today's Gospel, who anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped the feet of Jesus with her hair. And normally, this woman, the one in the Gospel today, is considered a prostitute. That is why in the tradition of the church, we must admit, when biblical scholarship was not yet precise, they attributed this woman, the prostitute, to Mary Magdalene - which we now retract. I want to make it clear. The Church is retracting that. Because by scholarship investigation, and all the scholars agree, we found out that those are two different women. Kaya unfair naman po. To give justice to Mary Magdalene, she is not a prostitute. Kaya pasensiya na si Freddie Aguilar sa kanta niyang 'Magdalena', sapagkat hindi ho siya gano'n. Of course, we cannot blame them, because at that time, there was not enough scientific investigation to compare the findings. But the basis of that wrong notion is the longer form of the Gospel. Kaya para hindi po malito ang mga tao, sabi ko, babasahin ko na lang ang short form para hindi nila ma-associate si Mary Magdalene do'n sa babaeng humalik sa paa ni Hesus.

I will now proceed to the reflection.....Akala ninyo tapos na po 'yong Homily, ano? Introduction pa lang ho 'yon. (laughs)

You know, when several people gather, whether it be in the family, a class, in an office, there are several personalities. That's obvious. And they make life colorful. Kasi pag pare-pareho naman tayo ng personality, boring naman 'yon. For example, in the family or in the class, there is the singer. There is also the joker. I remember the seven dwarves of Snow White. There is the Grumpy one - 'yong laging nakasimangot. Meron diyan 'yong laging naka-smile. Meron din namang serious palagi.

In our class, we also have different personalities. There is a walking encyclopedia - the nerdy type, who would know everything. But there is this classmate of ours who is our favorite. Why? Because he is the most generous one. Siya ang paborito naming lahat, lalo na pag lalabas kami, siya ang gusto naming kasama. Kasi pag kami ay mamamasahe sa bus, sa taxi, pag kakain sa labas, pag manonood kami ng sine, siya ang unang-unang bumubunot, kaya siya ang gusto naming kasama palagi. Meron namang ayaw mong kasama kasi alam mo pag kakain na, doon magsi-CR. Pag tatawagin na ninyo 'yong waiter, sasabihin, "Ay lalabas lang ako saglit." Kasi alam nilang magsisingilan na, ano. Tapos pagbalik sasabihin, "O, bakit naman nagsibayad na kayo, magbibigay pa naman sana ako." O 'yong iba naman ay deadma pag magbabayaran na. But this classmate of ours is very generous, and we like him for that. Never was there an occasion when he did not pay for us, at magagalit siya pag hindi siya ang nagbayad. Kundi ka ba naman matuwa sa gano'ng kaibigan ano. Siya, ang gusto niya, siya ang nagbabayad. But if you would look it at it, that classmate of ours is really not that rich. He's not really that moneyed, but he is that generous. And so I ask myself - how can he be like that? How can he be so generous? Galante, sabi nga natin.  

Of course, not all people can give. There are people who are willing to give. It is just that they do not have enough. And I perfectly understand. There are many sincere people who say, "Father, kung may pera lang ho talaga ako...." Alam mong sincere sila, pag sinabi nila 'yon. It's just that they do not have. They could not give. They are inadequate. Gustuhin man nila, hanggang do'n lang ang nakakayanan nila.

But on the other hand, we must admit that there are people who have, who can afford, who possess so much, but they still do not give. And I told you that that very generous classmate of mine is not really the richest in the batch. There are several who are more prosperous than him. Pero 'yong mga mas mayayaman, parang sila 'yong nagtatago pa. Sila 'yong hindi kumikibo pag singilan na. Sila 'yong kunwari bubunot, pero di matanggal-tanggal 'yong wallet sa bulsa nila. Kunwari lang bubunot, pero hindi naman matanggal-tanggal. Palabas lang.

How come? They cannot still share because deep in their heart, they do not believe they have enough. They still do not believe they are rich. Why don't they give despite of their affluence? They are not yet convinced that they are secure and stable. For them, every centavo, every drop, every crumb, every piece matters. Because if they are convinced that they have more than enough, they will not hesitate to give something away. They cannot afford to be lavish, because they are afraid that they will still lose something. Now, I understand. They do not give, because in their minds and hearts, they still do not have much.

Kaya siguro 'yong iba sa inyo, nagtataka. Bakit milyonaryo na siya, hindi pa siya makapagbigay. Kung ako lang ang milyonaryo, kung ako lang ang may perang gano'n, gagawin ko 'yon. Because perhaps some of them are not convinced that those millions are enough. That's why they want the billions, not the millions. They want the thousands, not the hundreds. Enough is not in the vocabulary of a greedy person. The world is not even enough, when there's greed.

Dear friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus praised the gestures of a simple woman. She washed His feet with her tears. She anointed His head with precious oil. She was able to love Jesus so lavishly. Why? Because Jesus says, she has received much love. She has been forgiven. Her debt to God has been cancelled, that is why she is overflowing with gratitude. That was the case of the simple woman. She is generous, because she believes she has received much. Because you cannot give what you do not have.

On the other hand, Simon the Pharisee was the opposite. He was the so-called righteous and upright man. He was supposed to be filled with God; he should have been overflowing with holiness, obedience and compassion. But how come Simon, the host, saw the woman with contempt? How come he scorned her in front of Jesus? Why did he did not even take care of Jesus, since he was actually the host? He was not even courteous enough to Jesus as a guest. Why was Simon not generous, unlike the woman?

Simon was not gracious, because actually, there was no grace in his heart. There is nothing to give. You cannot give what you do not have. There is scarcity of love in his heart. There is little forgiveness and compassion in him. Since there is little forgiveness, there is little love. I agree. Simon could not give love, because there is little forgiveness in his heart. Unlike the woman, she gave so much love, because there is so much forgiveness in her heart.

But why is there little forgiveness in Simon's heart? Bakit po kokonti lang ang kapatawaran sa puso ni Simon? There is little love, there is little forgiveness, not because he is sinless, not because nobody wants to forgive him. There is little forgiveness because there is little repentance, little contrition, little humility. He did not see anything wrong with his life. Hindi siya humihingi ng tawad sa Diyos. Kaya katiting ang kapatawaran niya. At bakit hindi siya humihingi ng tawad sa Diyos? Una, akala niya, wala siyang mali. Ikalawa, ayaw niyang aminin ang kanyang mali. At 'yon ang pagkakaiba niya do'n sa babae na nag-uumapaw ang pag-ibig, nag-uumapaw ang kapatawaran. 'Yong babae, inamin niya ang kanyang pagkakamali. Ikalawa, nagsisi siya kay Hesus. And because of that, she was overflowing with love.

Brothers and sisters, in this mass, we ask the Lord for that grace. That there is honesty, humility and repentance in our hearts. A repentant person is a loving person. A person who knows how to humbly acknowledge his or her sins, will receive God's forgiveness. And since one rightfully receives forgiveness, he can now celebrate and share mercy and forgiveness in the world.

Masdan po ninyo mga kapatid. Ang hindi sanay magsisi, hindi sanay magpatawad. At ang taong marunong magsisi, marunong magpatawad, sapagkat alam niya, ramdan niya, kung papa'nong ikaw naman ay humihingi ng tawad.

Let us ask ourselves - is it easy or hard for us to forgive? Is it easy for us to share mercy? Baka ho kaya hirap tayong magpatawad, hirap tayong magbahagi ng awa, ay dahil wala tayong natatanggap na awa at kapatawaran sa Diyos. At baka kaya wala tayong kapatawaran o wala tayong natatanggap na awa, eh kasi hindi tayo humihingi ng tawad sa Diyos. The woman - she did not miss that opportunity when Jesus came, because she was humble and honest enough. We ask the Lord that this grace may be in our hearts, so that we may be generous and gracious.  

And it is very nice that the scenes of Jesus will always be in meals, in tables. The Gospel was in the context of a table fellowship. Kumakain sila. Doesn't it sound and look familiar? We are here on the table of the Lord. Let us not imitate Simon who missed that opportunity, who did not see anything wrong with him. Rather, let us imitate that woman, who, at the table of the Lord, realized what was wrong with her, what was weak in her, and consequently, discovered, what was strong and gracious in the Lord.

Kaya pala ang first part ng misa natin, pagharap natin sa table ni Lord, ano po ang sinasabi ng pari? "As we prepare to celebrate this sacred mystery, let us acknowledge our sins, and beg the Lord's mercy." Because when we acknowledge our sins, we will receive much, and we will share much. Amen.

Gospel Reflection

June 15, 2013

Saturday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

by Rev. Fr. Ernie M. Cruz, SDB - Rector, St. John Bosco Parish Church, Makati

6:30AM Mass, St. John Bosco Parish Church, Makati

Reading 1 2 Cor 5:14-21

Brothers and sisters: The love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction that one died for all; therefore, all have died. He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh; even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer. So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Responsorial Psalm PS 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12

R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Gospel Mt 5:33-37

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the Evil One.”

HOMILY

Our Gospel today stresses on letting your 'yes' mean 'yes', and your 'no' to mean 'no'. 

Lying has become so deep in us, in every culture, I think. Children lie to their parents. Students lie to their teachers. Friends lie among themselves. Husbands lie to their wives, or probably sometimes, the other way around. Subordinates lie to their bosses. And we hear of people in the newspapers lying about their salaries or their statement of assets and liabilities. 

Lying has become endemic. That is why Jesus is telling us in the Gospel to just say 'yes' when you mean 'yes', and 'no' when it is 'no'. The truth will make us free. It is not an easy way, but it is the way of truly living what the Lord tells us, and to live at peace. 

In the First Reading today, St. Paul talks of a basic way of being guided by the Lord. He says that God has died for all, and in dying for all, St. Paul is asking us to live for the Lord. It means that when we are very clear on living for, and following Jesus, other things will follow. But if God is set aside, so many wrong things are done as if they are right. 

That is why in our Readings today, God is reminding us on the simplicity of living the truth. Truth may be very innocent, but it is the only way of a person to follow God, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.