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

November 03, 2013

Sunday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

by Fr. Alex Clemente, RCJ (Vice Rector and Prefect, Rogationist Order, Rogationist Seminary-Manila)

7:15AM Mass, Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel (Greenbelt Chapel), Makati

Reading 1 Wis 11:22-12:2

Before the LORD the whole universe is as a grain from a balance or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth. But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook people's sins that they may repent. For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned. And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you? But you spare all things, because they are yours, O LORD and lover of souls, for your imperishable spirit is in all things! Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O LORD!

Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13, 14

R. (cf. 1) I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
The LORD is faithful in all his words
and holy in all his works.
The LORD lifts up all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

Reading 2 2 Thes 1:11-2:2

Brothers and sisters: We always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.

We ask you, brothers and sisters, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a "spirit," or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.

Gospel Lk 19:1-10

At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.  Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.  So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house."  And he came down quickly and received him with joy.  When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner."  But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.  For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."

HOMILY

Today's Liturgy is focused on the characteristics of God. All the readings that we have heard reveal to us who God is. In the First Reading from the Book of Wisdom, it is revealed that our God is a God of mercy. He is a God of compassion. He is a God of forgiveness. The Responsorial Psalm describes furthermore God's mercy, compassion and forgiveness. He is a God who is rich and great in mercy and kindness. He is a God of opportunity. He gives us a chance to repent, to be good and improve. And in today's Gospel, we have seen the personification of that God in the person of Jesus. He is a God who seeks those who are going astray. He is full of mercy and runs after sinners. 

This is totally opposite from our tendency. Whenever we are offended or hurt, yes, we can forgive, but we expect the other person to make the first move. That is our kind of reasoning, so we wait. But our God is a God who initiates. He is ready to bow down, just to meet the sinners. 

Yes, God is powerful, but His power is manifested in His mercy, in His compassion, in His gentleness. This is totally opposite with the power that we know in this world. In our society, people of power are stiff and feared. We tremble in front of them. We should not disobey them, or we face the consequences. But our God who is powerful is full of gentleness and love.

When Jesus met Zacchaeus, Jesus ran after him, inspired him, and brought him to repentance and conversion. Zacchaeus was a public sinner and I am sure that he was aware of his stature. He was considered a powerful man during that time, but he was aware of his sins. Perhaps he already heard criticisms and have experienced rejections from the people around him. But when Jesus met Zacchaeus, he did not say anything bad about him. Jesus just told Zacchaeus that He needed to stay in his house today. Hindi Niya sinumbatan si Zacchaeus. And Zacchaeus was deeply touched by that power. It was like a magnet that he could not refuse. 

My dear friends, that's the power of God, manifested in His mercy, in His compassion, in His forgiveness. May we be inspired by that mercy, by that power of God. As has been said in one of our readings, may we be consumed also 'like the morning dew in front of the sun'. That was Zacchaeus. He was absorbed by the compassion of Jesus. He was ready to abandon everything, when he told the Lord that he shall give half of his belongings to the poor and pay those who he took advantage of. 

My dear friends, when we truly experience God's compassion and mercy, we cannot but share the same mercy, the same compassion, the same forgiveness to others. And so, if we find it hard to forgive, to understand and to feel sympathy toward our brothers and sisters, let us remember the mercy and compassion that God has freely and generously given to us. Let us pray that we may be like our Lord God and become instruments of God's mercy. Just like Zacchaeus, may we join the company of Jesus, proclaiming the same mercy, the same compassion to other people. May we truly be God's compassion, and may we manifest it to others. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Gospel Reflection

November 02, 2013

Saturday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

by Rev. Fr. Leo Nilo C. Mangussad, - Rector, Shrine of Mary Queen of Peace (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)

6:30AM Mass at the EDSA Shrine

Reading 1 Wis 3:1-9

The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble; they shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the LORD shall be their King forever. Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with his elect.

Responsorial Psalm PS 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.

Reading 2 Rom 5:5-11

Brothers and sisters: Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly. Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. How much more then, since we are now justified by his Blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath. Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Or Rom 6:3-9

Brothers and sisters: Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.

For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified with him,  so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin. For a dead person has been absolved from sin. If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him.

Gospel Jn 6:37-40

Jesus said to the crowds: “Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”

HOMILY

Good morning my brothers and sisters.

Today, we commemorate the souls of our beloved departed. Today is the time when we visit them in the cemetery. Today, we try to remember once more how much we are accustomed to be with our beloved departed. Two things are important - our connection with them, and the importance of our connection with them through prayer.

A lot of people always ask why we have to pray for the dead, when they are already dead, and there is nothing we can do?

Let me tell you a story. There were two friends fighting over the issue of purgatory. One does not believe, while the other firmly believes. The one who does not believe kept on talking and talking, as they were walking. At the end of the day, they went back to their homes. When supper was ready, the one who believed in purgatory said, 'It is time to eat. Come'. But the one who disbelieved said, 'Wait a second. With all the grime and dirt that we got while walking home, I have to wash, at least, my hands, before eating.' To which the one who believed in purgatory remarked, 'Exactly my point. You think you are ready to face God when you die, that there is no scar left. With all the tribulations in our life here on earth, we need to prepare, thus sometimes, we need purgatory'.

My dear brothers and sisters, when we pray for our beloved departed, we are helping them prepare themselves to face God in the afterlife. It is good to be reminded of how well we should be preparing for ourselves. Whatever we do on earth has a bearing in the afterlife. Whatever we do here on earth, nothing is lost. Everything is a preparation for our immortal life. Thus, immortally, we are connected with our beloved departed. The flesh is gone, but the immortal side is still there.

We are celebrating the beautiful souls of our beloved departed today. Let us be one with them again, in this beautiful prayer.