Gospel Reflection

May 05, 2012

Saturday

Easter Weekday

Anticipated Sunday Mass (Fifth Sunday of Easter)

by Rev. Fr. Stephen Mifsud (MSSP – Quezon City)

MSSP House / Mass for the poor

First Reading:               Acts 9:26-31

Psalm:                         Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32

Second Reading:          1 John 3:18-24

Gospel:                        John 15:1-8

1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.

HOMILY

Which is the verb/word most used today?  “Manatili” remain, abide, come to stay, live...

Stay attached to Me says Jesus.  Like a branch attached to the tree.  Branch takes its energy form the trunk and can stay alive only if it remains attached to the tree.

            If you cut a branch will it die immediately... no! but eventually it will die and dry.  Our life is the same.  Sometimes we say... “I can live without God”, “I am too busy for Him”, “I don’t need Him”.  Yes for some short  time I can still live but eventually you will be condemning yourself, cutting yourself from the source of life and you start to dry towards a slow death... a spiritual death leading to sadness, desperation, depression, helplessness, quarrels and destruction of peace in your heart and with everyone.

Jesus says today “remain in me”.  8 times he says it: this shows how important it is.

            Why remain in Jesus? – to bear fruit ... to have meaning in your life.  What is the use of a vine that does not produce grapes? Its useless. To have meaning in life I have to be like a tree with fruit.  What are the fruits of a Christian?  St Paul to the Galatians tells us what are these fruits... as I mention them try to check whether they are present in your heart and in your life.

Gal 5:22-23 Ang bunga naman ng espiritu ay:  pag-ibig (love), tuwa(joy), kapayapaan(peace), pagtitiis (endurance) , kagandahang-loob(kindness), kabutihan (goodness) , pagti­tiwala (faithfulness), kahinahunan(gentleness) , pagti­timpi (self-control).

If I have all of these means that I am attached to Jesus completely... if some are not there  means that I have to strengthen my bond and my faith in Jesu.

            How to remain in Jesus?  Malinaw ang sagot ! Sinabi ngayon sa unang sulat ni Apostol San Juan,  “ang sumusunod sa mga utos ng Diyos ay nananatili sa Diyos. Ito ang kanyang utos: manalig tayo sa kanyang Anak na si Hesukristo, at mag-ibigan.”

The two are very important.  Some Protestants go around saying that you are saved only by faith. Its true we are saved by faith but faith has to be accompanied by actions of love.  We are saved, truly,  but we have to remain with him.  

I am baptised, I am saved but i need to remain with Jesus. Its not enough to say I believe in Jesus Christ but to also i need to do what he commands. 

            It’s good today to ask ourselves:

• How much do I believe that God saves me?
• How much I believe in Jesus... that he is with me in my difficulties and sufferings?
• How much do I practice love in my family, how much do I forgive those who wrong me, how much do I look at the needs of others before my own needs?

My last point is:  the gardener prunes the tree to make more fruit. Five times we are told to bear fruit.  Every knows the value and necessity of pruning.  The hard work of cutting away what is dead, unwanted, or overgrown is rewarded by new growth and more fruit.

My last question is what things need to be cut from my life so that I might have more fruit, more love, more patience, and more joy?  What attitudes, what thoughts, what plans, what sins need to be cut to be stronger and bear more fruit?

Gospel Reflection

April 08, 2012

Sunday

Easter Sunday (Solemnity)

by Rev. Fr. Stephen Mifsud (MSSP – Quezon City)

(Batchawan, Bataan)

First Reading:               Acts 10:34, 37-43  

Psalm:                         Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23  

Second Reading:          Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6-8
Gospel:                        John 20:1-9

1Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag'dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." 3Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. 4They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; 5and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, 7and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. 8Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

HOMILY

A certain kindergarten teacher was telling her students the story of Jesus. In her class was a little boy who came from a non-Christian family. He was paying very close attention to the story because it was all new to him. As the teacher told how Jesus was condemned and nailed to the cross to die the boy murmured, "No! That's too bad!" The teacher then went on to tell how on the third day Jesus rose from the dead and came back to life. The boy's eyes lit up with delight and he exclaimed, "Totally awesome!" 

During this week we heard the story of the suffering and death of Jesus. Like the little boy many of us felt like "No! That's too bad!" Today we hear the rest of the story and again with the little boy we can now exclaim "Yes! Totally awesome!" Today we can again sing "Halleluiah" that we have not sung all through Lent. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad (Psalm 118:24).

Why do we rejoice today? We rejoice because truth has triumphed over falsity, justice over injustice and tragedy has turned into comedy and evil turned to goodness.
Jesus was falsely charged of crimes he did not commit, and unjustly sentenced to a death he did not deserve. {Haven’t you ever experience being the subject of tchismis and judged unjustly by others. 
 
Jesus’ friend Judas betrayed him, his trusted companions deserted him and Peter denied him. {Haven’t you sometimes felt abandoned by your close friends or family?  

The people Jesus loved and preached to, demanded his crucifixion and chose to have the bandit Barabbas released in his place. {Haven’t you experienced people that after you help them, do harmful things to you or others and sometimes turn against you? 

Jesus’ story is one of betrayal and lies, dishonesty and meanness, unfaithfulness and wicked violence directed against an innocent... If that were the end of the story that would be a bad story, a tragedy. But thanks be to God it is not.

Today’s celebration reminds us that Jesus rose from the dead and conquers sin, injustice and death.  Jesus’ life is more powerful than death...  light is more powerful than darkness.  I ask you: Which is the most powerful, light or darkness?  If you put them together who wins? Light!
We all have moments of darkness, problems to face. That’s why the Liturgy today helps us to remember not to get discouraged with our problems.  Do not give up on doing what is right even when the world around us is doing the opposite. Continue to do the right things.

We must learn to believe in the sun even when it is not shining. That is why the church asks us today to rejoice and be glad. Even when we are going through very difficult times: through betrayal, unjust discrimination, lies, loneliness, misrepresentations;. Today Christ has won. And we know that if we are with Christ we shall overcome our sins, our oppositions and death itself. 

Rejoice and be glad ! Alleluia !

 

Gospel Reflection

April 01, 2012

Sunday

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion

by Rev. Fr. Stephen Mifsud (MSSP – Quezon City)

(Batchawan, Bataan)

First Reading:               Isaiah 50:4-7  

Psalm:                         Psalm 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24  

Second Reading:          Philippians 2:6-11  

Gospel:                        Mark 15:1-39

1 And as soon as it was morning the chief priests, with the elders and scribes, and the whole council held a consultation; and they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" And he answered him, "You have said so." 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, "Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you." 5 But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate wondered. 6 Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. 7 And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barab'bas. 8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he was wont to do for them. 9 And he answered them, "Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?" 10 For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barab'bas instead. 12 And Pilate again said to them, "Then what shall I do with the man whom you call the King of the Jews?" 13 And they cried out again, "Crucify him." 14 And Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify him." 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barab'bas; and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. 16 And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the praetorium); and they called together the whole battalion. 17 And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and plaiting a crown of thorns they put it on him. 18 And they began to salute him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 19 And they struck his head with a reed, and spat upon him, and they knelt down in homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him. 21 And they compelled a passer-by, Simon of Cyre'ne, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. 22 And they brought him to the place called Gol'gotha (which means the place of a skull). 23 And they offered him wine mingled with myrrh; but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him, and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25 And it was the third hour, when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him read, "The King of the Jews." 27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. 29 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads, and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!" 31 So also the chief priests mocked him to one another with the scribes, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also reviled him. 33 And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "E'lo-i, E'lo-i, la'ma sabach-tha'ni?" which means, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" 35 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, "Behold, he is calling Eli'jah." 36 And one ran and, filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Eli'jah will come to take him down." 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that he thus breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"

HOMILY

I was always fascinated by the image of Jesus entering Jerusalem with the cheering of people, waving palms throwing cloths on floor to welcome him in their city and Jesus riding a small donkey what a contrast!

Donkey is a symbol of humility, simplicity, no importance, an ordinary animal, used only to carry things and people.

But on that day when Jesus rode it, this little donkey became special, important.  And was important because of Jesus.  Keep in mind that people’s attention and cheering were to Jesus.  No one was cheering the donkey.

Yet the young donkey was carrying the Son of God.  What an important job!  ... Carrying Jesus

Many of you are still young, all of us are common people. 

So the first thing that the Liturgy of today teaches us is that all of us can carry Jesus... and not only a baby Jesus but a full-grown Jesus. 

What a privilege to have Jesus Christ, riding in our lives,  living inside of us!  Whenever we read and listen to god’s word, when we receive Eucharist, whenever our heart and mind are on Jesus, when we pray... we are carrying Jesus ... like the donkey.

That means God can do powerful things through common and young people!  I am so happy when I see these young men praying and sharing their experience of Jesus with others...not only children but also adults.

In practice, how do I carry Jesus to others?

With my life, in my every day duties – if we them with lov...  If Jesus is in me I and let him change me, I start to think as he thinks, to love as he loves. And people start seeing Jesus in me.   Many times no need to talk about Him although its important also.

When I was in Calapan I went to a squatter area with so much mud  to visit an old women who couldn’t get out.  When I told her that I am religious, she started crying... and told me... “I am so happy, in this place no priest ever came!

By our lives, by giving our heart, giving our listening ear, giving our time, we  can bring Jesus to others.

So the first point is that like the small donkey, we are special and happy only when we carry Christ in our lives.

The second point: Jesus did not ride a big horse, or even the mother donkey, but He showed us how to be humble, by riding a young donkey.

Our call as Christians is not to make ourselves famous, or want people to look up to us. But like the donkey, we let other people see Jesus.  If we do our job in leading them to Jesus, we will see many people changed by the power of God. 

So let us carry Jesus and in love and humility keep Jesus at the center of our lives and others.

Gospel Reflection

March 06, 2012

Tuesday

Lenten Weekday

by V. Romeo A. Almeda

Sharing God’s Message to Me

First Reading:               Isaiah 1:10, 16-20    

Psalm:                         Psalm 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23    

Gospel:                        Matthew 23:1-12     

1 Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; 3 so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice. 4 They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ. 11 He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; 12 whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

 

Be Servants of God

11 The greatest among you must be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:11-12

REFLECTION

I was recently aghast at the actuations of a senator of the Philippines. Well, many of them are of the same disposition. Outside the senate they call themselves public servants but inside senate investigations, impeachment courts, etc. they berate the public, the very public that they supposedly serve.

In community, the designation "servant" has evolved from what used to be "head," which is meaningful because service really comes from the heart. It is not because one is intellectually superior that he gets to lead a household prayer group, it is because he has a servant heart. The designation "elder" has also been taken for granted, not unlike Senior with a capital S. A Pharisaic nature slowly crept into our hearts with these designations, whether we admit it or not, and it is correct that these terms are now evolved into "missionary." It is a reminder of our task at hand, and a removal of any vain glory of being an elder or a Senior, similar to the vain glory of being called rabbi or master.

LORD, may your servants be good shepherds like you. May they have humble hearts to serve their flock, and become with the Church servus servorum Dei, servant of the servants of God. Amen.

LORD, let my two eyes see You, my two ears hear You, my two hands work with You and for You, my two feet go where I can proclaim You, but let my mind be only one, as You made it, and fixed on You. Amen.

Gospel Reflection

March 03, 2012

Saturday

St. Katharine Drexel, Virgin (Commemoration)

Anticipated Sunday Mass (Second Sunday of Lent)

by Rev. Fr. Stephen Mifsud (MSSP – Quezon City)

Retreat Mass / Youth Reflection (Zambales)

First Reading:               Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18

Psalm:                         Psalm 116:10, 15-19

Second Reading:           Romans 8:31-34

Gospel:                        Mark 9:2-10

2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them, 3 and his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Eli'jah with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus. 5 And Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli'jah." 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were exceedingly afraid. 7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him." 8 And suddenly looking around they no longer saw any one with them but Jesus only. 9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of man should have risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.

HOMILY

Intro: Last week our youths had a retreat on the mountains of Zambales with Bro. Mike.  In one of their meetings, they prayed with this passage of the Transfiguration.  All of them felt that God is speaking to them.  What I thought today is to let two of them to share something about their experience of how God spoke to their lives through his Word especially with this gospel.

...( youth shared their own experiences )

Concl: You see how wonderful it is when you are with Christ and be open to listen to Him!  May this Lent continue to help us to open our ears to Jesus, to listen to his voice especially with the word of God and let him transform our heart so that we will become more like Him.

Gospel Reflection

February 21, 2012

Tuesday

Weekday

by V. Romeo A. Almeda

Sharing God’s Message to Me

First Reading:               James 4:1-10     

Psalm:                         Psalm 55:7-11, 23     

Gospel:                        Mark 9:30-37      

30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise." 32 But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to ask him. 33 And they came to Caper'na-um; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?" 34 But they were silent; for on the way they had discussed with one another who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, "If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all." 36 And he took a child, and put him in the midst of them; and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me."

Draw Near to Me

But he bestows a greater grace; therefore, it says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. So submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you of two minds. James 4:6-8

REFLECTION

I guess when we are of two minds it means we are pulled in two opposite directions; one which wants us to be near to God, and one which wants us to draw away from God. Sometimes we are not aware that we are drawing away from God by the choices we make, choices that make us really busy. If I want to be physically fit, for instance, which is a good intention with no evil in it, then I have to spend hours for calisthenics and running regularly. If I wish to perform well for a board exam, I have to burn the midnight oil studying. If I wish to be updated and connected to my network of friends, I have to view their posts and pictures as well as add mine for them. I think it was Pope John Paul II who said, "It is amazing how the devil can put evil into the cleanest of intentions."

The only way to draw near to God is to be with Him in thought, deeds and words through prayer, Scripture, fellowship, teachings, and the Sacraments. If we balance our time properly to receive these, God will be with us while we run, while we study, even while we "connect."

LORD, let my two eyes see You, my two ears hear You, my two hands work with You and for You, my two feet go where I can proclaim You, but let my mind be only one, as You made it, and fixed on You. Amen.