Gospel Reflection

July 26, 2013

Friday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

by Rev. Fr. Jomar Burgos, LRMS - Dean of Seminarians and Vocation Director, Lorenzo Mission Institute
12:15PM Mass, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord (Megamall Chapel)

 

FIRST READING          Ecclesiasticus 44:1, 10-15

Now will I praise those godly men, our ancestors, each in his own time: These were godly men whose virtues have not been forgotten; Their wealth remains in their families, their heritage with their descendants; Through God's covenant with them their family endures, their posterity, for their sake. And for all time their progeny will endure, their glory will never be blotted out; Their bodies are peacefully laid away, but their name lives on and on. At gatherings their wisdom is retold, and the assembly proclaims their praise.


RESPONSORIAL PSALM          Ps 132:11, 13-14, 17-18

R.(13) The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.
The LORD has chosen Zion;
he prefers her for his dwelling.
“Zion is my resting place forever;
in her will I dwell, for I prefer her.”
R. The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.
“In her will I make a horn to sprout forth for David;
I will place a lamp for my anointed.
His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but upon him my crown shall shine.”
R. The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.


GOSPEL READING           Matthew 13:16-17

Jesus said to his disciples, "Blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it".

HOMILY

If you notice, our Gospel has only two verses - it is very short. And in the first sentence of the Gospel, Jesus gave a message to His disciples. He said, "Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear." Here, we may ask, is Jesus saying that we are blessed because we have eyes that see and ears that could hear? We all know that there are people who would have eyes, but unfortunately, they are physically blind, and could not see. And there are also people who have ears, but unfortunately, they are physically deaf, and could not hear. So is Jesus telling us na maswerte tayo dahil ang mata natin ay nakakakita at ang ating tenga ay nakakarinig?

Perhaps, it is not only that, that Jesus wants to tell us. Because it is a reality that people have eyes but it seems that they could not see. And there are also times when people have ears, but still they could not hear.

An example. If you have an enemy. Kung meron ho tayong kaaway at dumaan siya sa harap natin, pinapansin po ba natin siya? Minsan po ay parang wala tayong nakikita. Nilalampasan lang natin sila, kahit gaano pa kalaki 'yan. Wala tayong nakikita. Why? Because sometimes, we could see, but we could not really see well. Sometimes, our eyes and ears are becoming selective. Para po tayong namimili nang gusto lang nating makita o marinig. For example, kung ang isang tao ay may utang sa inyo, lalapit sa inyo at hihingi ng extension para mabayaran ang utang, kahit anong pakiusap o luhod ang gawin niya, kung ayaw nating makinig, wala rin pong mangyayari at hindi rin po tayo makapagbibigay ng extension. We are being selective. It's like we have filters in our eyes and ears.

Today, the Lord tells us that we have to learn how to see the presence and hear the needs of the people around us, specifically our parents and grandparents. And why do we say that? It is because today, we celebrate the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne. And who are they? They are the parents of Mother Mary, and they are the grandparents of Jesus. Not much is known about them. Their names are not even written in the Bible, kaya hindi natin sila masyadong kilala. But we all know, based on the life of Mary, that they are good and righteous people. Kung ano po si Mary, 'yan po ang pagpapatunay kung paano siya pinalaki at kung anong klase ang kanyang magulang. Sometimes, if you want to know a person or what kind of parents a child has, makikita natin 'yan sa kanyang buhay, sa kanyang manners, kung paano siya pinalaki ng kanyang mga magulang.

Today, we are also called to really see the value and dignity of our parents and grandparents. We are reminded to hear and feel their presence in our lives. We must admit that we owe a lot to our parents and grandparents. When we were babies, kahit gaano kahimbing ang tulog ng ating mga parents, makarinig lang sila ng kaunting ingit sa atin, konting kilos, konting iyak, babangon po sila para tingnan tayo. Pero kahit na gaano kalakas ang tunog ng truck, wala silang pakialam, hindi sila nagigising diyan. Ngunit sa atin, dahil importante tayo sa kanila, konting kilos ay nagigising sila.

If I were to dictate a Grandparents' Day or a Parents' Day, it should be today. Ang nakakalungkot po, when we are already grown up, parang wala na tayong nakikita. Sometimes we do not even say 'hello' or 'how are you' to our parents and grandparents. Today, let's find time to thank our parents and grandparents. Kung wala po sila, malamang, wala rin po tayo ngayon. Now that we are old enough, let us show our love to our parents and grandparents. Let us respect them, let us appreciate them, especially for the love and support that they have given to us. Just like Mary and Joseph, may we be good children to our parents. Amen.

Gospel Reflection

July 25, 2013

Thursday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

Feast Saint James, Apostle

by Rev. Fr. Benjamin “Benjo” Fajota (Vice Rector of the EDSA Shrine)

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

Reading 1 2 Cor 4:7-15

Brothers and sisters: We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, we too believe and therefore speak, knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and place us with you in his presence. Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 126:1bc-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6

R. (5) Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Gospel Mt 20:20-28

The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered him, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom.” Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

HOMILY

One alumni of the Hamilton College in New York was invited to address the assembly during its centennial celebration. And the alumni began his memorable speech with these words: "I send my greetings to all my fellow alumni of Hamilton College scattered all throughout the world. Some of you are successes, some of you are failures. And only God knows which is which."

Our Gospel for today teaches us the measure of success and failure in our life. I remember when I was having my Theology in UST. My professor then, Bishop Bacani told us of a certain priest. When that priest was approached by the nuncio and was asked if he would be ready to accept the position of a bishop, the priest bowed down, took out from his pocket a skull cap, and said, "I expect." (laughs) He did not accept; he expected to be a bishop.

Some of us are born with ambitions. A lot of us have our dreams and aspirations. But when we compare ourselves to others, some of us might consider ourselves as successes, while some of us may consider ourselves as failures. What is the measure of success?

In my philosophy class, prior to graduation, we were asked to submit a thesis. And my thesis then was about mass media as an alternative for evangelization. My professors grilled me at that time and they told me, "Do you know how much it would cost to put up a radio or television program? You will be spending so much." And I just answered, "If I could only save one soul even for that one program where I will spend so much, then I will consider myself a success."

Jesus is telling us honestly that the Gospel does not cover the embarrassing attitude that the apostles have. The Gospel tells us a lot of truth and it speaks so much about the reality of our being created by God. We were created to serve, to love and to know God. Being a servant is being a slave. We are slaves to the truth; we are slaves to the Word of God that we must proclaim, not by mere words, but, more importantly, through our lives. When we are able to discover and live up what God has meant for each one of us, then that is the only time we can say that we are successes. Amen.

Gospel Reflection

July 24, 2013

Wednesday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

by Rev.  Fr. Joel Jason (Dean of Studies, Graduate School of Theology San Carlos Seminary)

12;15PM Mass, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord (Megamall Chapel)

 

Reading 1 Ex 16:1-5, 9-15

The children of Israel set out from Elim,  and came into the desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt. Here in the desert the whole assembly of the children of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The children of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died at the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread! But you had to lead us into this desert to make the whole community die of famine!”

Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will now rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them, to see whether they follow my instructions or not. On the sixth day, however, when they prepare what they bring in, let it be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole congregation of the children of Israel: Present yourselves before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling.” When Aaron announced this to the whole assembly of the children of Israel, they turned toward the desert, and lo, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud! The LORD spoke to Moses and said, “I have heard the grumbling of the children of Israel. Tell them: In the evening twilight you shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread, so that you may know that I, the LORD, am your God.”

In the evening quail came up and covered the camp. In the morning a dew lay all about the camp, and when the dew evaporated, there on the surface of the desert were fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground. On seeing it, the children of Israel asked one another, “What is this?” for they did not know what it was. But Moses told them, “This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.”

Responsorial Psalm PS 78:18-19, 23-24, 25-26, 27-28

R. (24b) The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
They tempted God in their hearts
by demanding the food they craved.
Yes, they spoke against God, saying,
“Can God spread a table in the desert?”
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Yet he commanded the skies above
and the doors of heaven he opened;
He rained manna upon them for food
and gave them heavenly bread.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Man ate the bread of angels,
food he sent them in abundance.
He stirred up the east wind in the heavens,
and by his power brought on the south wind.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
And he rained meat upon them like dust,
and, like the sand of the sea, winged fowl,
Which fell in the midst of their camp
round about their tents.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

Gospel Mt 13:1-9

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

HOMILY

In one of my reflections, I mentioned that one time, I was listening to the radio and I heard the DJ reading some of the text messages that he has received. Then the DJ said, "We would like to thank all our 'watcheners' for today." What did I hear? And the DJ said, "We would like to thank everybody for 'watchening' our show." So I told myself, "What does the DJ mean by 'watchening'? It was a combination of 'watching and listening'. And I discovered that that particular radio show is also being seen live in the Internet. Nowadays, there are some radio shows, which we do not only hear, but also watch live through the Internet. And because of that, there is now a new word that they use - 'watchener' or 'watchening'. That means you are not only listening, you are also watching. You are also observing.

And I think that is a very good image. Because when you are 'watchening' - if I may use that word - that means you are giving your full attention. You are giving your full attentiveness. That means you are truly present to the person who is in front of you. And that disposition of 'watchening' is important - whether we are talking about our relationship with God, or our relationship with one another. Presence is important.

Now, one principle that we have to keep in mind is this. Presence is not the same as visibility. Like right now - all of you are visible to me, and I am visible to you. But it does not necessarily mean that you are present to me, or I am present to you. Dahil pwedeng mangyari na habang nagsasalita ako dito, baka ang iniisip ninyo eh, 'ano kaya ang kakainin ko mamaya for lunch'. (laughs) O baka naman ang iniisip ninyo eh sana matapos agad 'yong misa kasi nakabili na ako ng ticket sa sine, at kailangan maabutan ko 'yong sineng 'yon. So you are visible to me, but you are not really present to me. Presence is not the same as visibility.

I am currently counseling a wife right now. And her complaint is, "Father, you know, when my husband comes home, parang di niya ako nakikita. Lagi niyang hinihingi, 'O, yong kape ko. O, 'yong diyaryo. O, 'yong tsinelas ko.' Ang tingin ko, ang tingin niya yata sa akin ay katulong. Hindi asawa." She is visible, but the husband is not present to her as a husband. Pwedeng mangyari 'yon.

And then I remember the story of a couple. Bulag sila from birth, pero nag-asawa sila, and now they are celebrating their 20th anniversary as a couple. They were at mass. And then the priest asked them, while they were renewing their marriage vows, "Ah...kailan ba kayo unang nagkita?" (laughs) And then sabi noong bulag, "Father, matagal na po kaming mag-asawa, pero hindi pa po kami nagkikita." (laughs) See? It's very much possible that you do not see each other, but you are very much present to one another. Kaya nga 20 years na silang nagsasama. They do not physically see one another, but they are present to one another. Presence is not the same as visibility.

So the question is - what is the quality of your presence to one another? Are you present to your husband? Are you present to your wife? Are you present for your children? When we are reading the Word of God, are you present to the Word of God? Are you here with an attitude of an open disposition, ready to receive the challenge of the Word of God?

Kaya nga in our Gospel, Jesus said that there are different kinds of soil that can receive the Word of God. It refers to our disposition. Tayo ba ay naririto? Tayo ba ay handang humarap at tanggapin ang Salita ng Diyos? Or are we just listening but not watching? Or we are just watching, but not listening? Dapat dalawa. We should become 'watcheners' of the Word of God. We should be giving it our careful and full attention.

As we go on our Holy mass, our celebration, let that be the grace that we will ask from the Lord. Let us intensify the quality of our presence with God and with one another. And as we listen to one another, let us also intensify the quality of our watching and listening. Let us not only watch without listening. Let us not only listen without watching. Let us be both, and let us be attentive to the Word of God. Amen.