Gospel Reflection

August 09, 2013

Friday – 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 Dt 4:32-40

Moses said to the people: “Ask now of the days of old, before your time, ever since God created man upon the earth; ask from one end of the sky to the other: Did anything so great ever happen before? Was it ever heard of?  Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live? Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, with his strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors, all of which the LORD, your God, did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? All this you were allowed to see  that you might know the LORD is God and there is no other. Out of the heavens he let you hear his voice to discipline you; on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard him speaking out of the fire. For love of your fathers he chose their descendants and personally led you out of Egypt by his great power, driving out of your way nations greater and mightier than you, so as to bring you in and to make their land your heritage, as it is today. This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart, that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that there is no other. You must keep his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you today, that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may have long life on the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you forever.”

Responsorial Psalm PS 77:12-13, 14-15, 16 and 21

R. (12a) I remember the deeds of the Lord.
I remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I remember your wonders of old.
And I meditate on your works;
your exploits I ponder.
R. I remember the deeds of the Lord.
O God, your way is holy;
what great god is there like our God?
You are the God who works wonders;
among the peoples you have made known your power.
R. I remember the deeds of the Lord.
With your strong arm you redeemed your people,
the sons of Jacob and Joseph.
You led your people like a flock
under the care of Moses and Aaron.
R. I remember the deeds of the Lord.

Gospel Mt 16:24-28

Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay each according to his conduct. Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

HOMILY

Our First Reading today is a reminder and an encouragement of Moses to his people on how they should think, reflect, and open their hearts to see the daily miracles taking place in their lives. And then he enumerated everything that has taken place - how they were freed from Egypt, the food that they ate, the support that God has given them towards their enemies. He narrated these all, for them to realize that God will not desert them. That is why Moses said, 'fix it in your heart'.

I think it is also a reminder to us. There are many miracles and the support that we have received from God. Let us fix them in our hearts that God, in many occasions in our life, did not let us down. That there is no other way that we can explain certain happenings in our life, except the miracle that was performed to us by God.

This is in order to prepare ourselves also, in moments when difficulties would come. The carrying of the cross will always be present in our life. Some of the crosses that we bear are light. Di masyado, inconveniences lang. Sometimes, wala ka lang ng kaunting ganito, walang kaunting ganyan. These are certain inconveniences, that we, sometimes, have been accustomed to. But there are certain crosses that are heavy. Certain crosses are seemingly so difficult to carry - whether crosses from problems, finances, physical injury or illness - but they are big crosses. And our constant reminder to ourselves of what God has done to us, of the daily miracles that take place in front of us in the Holy Eucharist, will allow us to go through life peacefully, all because we know that the God we believe in, is a God who is always with us.

As we continue our celebration this morning - and during the day - it is good to count the many good things that we receive, the many miracles, big or small, that we have encountered in our lives, showing that God cares. Even the small things - when we put them together - they are part of a big puzzle in our lives where God has a direct role. One who tries to always see and view the daily experiences in his life in God's eyes, would find so many instances where the hand of God is always present. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Gospel Reflection

August 08, 2013

Thursday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

Memorial of Saint Dominic, Priest

by Rev. Fr. David "Dave" T. Concepcion

(Spiritual Director, Holy Apostles Senior Seminary, San Carlos Pastoral Formation Center, Guadalupe, Makati City)
5:30PM Mass, Mary, Queen of Peace Shrine (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)

Reading 1 Nm 20:1-13

The whole congregation of the children of Israel arrived in the desert of Zin in the first month, and the people settled at Kadesh. It was here that Miriam died, and here that she was buried.

As the community had no water, they held a council against Moses and Aaron. The people contended with Moses, exclaiming, “Would that we too had perished with our kinsmen in the LORD’s presence! Why have you brought the LORD’s assembly into this desert where we and our livestock are dying? Why did you lead us out of Egypt, only to bring us to this wretched place which has neither grain nor figs nor vines nor pomegranates? Here there is not even water to drink!” But Moses and Aaron went away from the assembly to the entrance of the meeting tent, where they fell prostrate.

Then the glory of the LORD appeared to them, and the LORD said to Moses, “Take your staff and assemble the community, you and your brother Aaron, and in their presence order the rock to yield its waters. From the rock you shall bring forth water for the congregation and their livestock to drink.” So Moses took his staff from its place before the LORD, as he was ordered.  He and Aaron assembled the community in front of the rock, where he said to them, “Listen to me, you rebels! Are we to bring water for you out of this rock?” Then, raising his hand, Moses struck the rock twice with his staff, and water gushed out in abundance for the people and their livestock to drink. But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you were not faithful to me in showing forth my sanctity before the children of Israel, you shall not lead this community into the land I will give them.”

These are the waters of Meribah, where the children of Israel contended against the LORD, and where the LORD revealed his sanctity among them.

Responsorial Psalm PS 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tested me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Gospel Mt 16:13-23

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

HOMILY

Before reflecting on the Gospel, I would like to go back first to the First Reading, because I think even some of you, if asked, why Moses was not allowed to enter the promised land, some of you will answer, because he struck the rock twice. The answer is no. Why? Because there was no instruction at the very beginning that you will strike the rock twice. God said Moses will not enter. Why? God said, "Because you were not faithful to Me in showing forth My sanctity before the children of Israel...." God did not say 'you failed to obey My instruction'. God was saying Moses was not faithful to Him in showing forth His sanctity before the children of Israel. How? Because before striking the rock, Moses uttered, "Listen to me, you rebels. Are we - take note...Are we to bring water for you out of this rock?" Are we? It is one way of saying that Moses is claiming that He is also part of the One allowing wonders to come forth from the rock. Hindi siya kasali. He is not part of God. Moses was God's spokesperson. Pero dinamay niya ang sarili niya sa pangalan ng Diyos.

My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, it is good to ask ourselves. Do we really understand who we really are before God? Do we understand? The question is - "Who am I to you?" or "Who do you say that I am?" or "Sino ba Ako para sa iyo?" Because answering the question will determine our relationship to God. And if we know our relationship to God, then we will know our role.

Minsan, marami sa atin ang nagdadasal na para bagang sa iyong pagdarasal ay naintindihan mo talaga ang loob ng Diyos. Nagagalit ka sa Diyos kapag hindi binibigay sa iyo ng Diyos ang iyong mga panalangin. Kaya magandang itanong - sino ba ang Diyos para sa atin? "Sino ba Ako para sa iyo?"

Halimbawa, sa relasyon natin sa ating kapwa. Halimbawa, ako'y pari. Pag tayo'y lumalabas, sino ba ako sa inyo? 'Ikaw po'y pari.' Kaya huwag ninyo akong kakaladkarin. Nakuha po ninyo? Hindi po ako pwedeng pumunta sa kahit saang lugar na gusto ninyo akong pumunta. Sapagkat ako ay pari. Kuha ninyo? Ano pa? Ang mag-asawa. Kung ikaw ay misis o mister, aba'y umasal ka bilang may asawa. Dahil alam mong ikaw ay may asawa, hindi ka pwedeng mag-asal binata, kahit saan. Maliwanag po 'yon. Pag ikaw ay sumisigaw sa iyong magulang, ang tanong sa iyo ng iyong magulang, "Sino ba ako?" "Kayo po ang aking magulang." "Eh bakit mo ako sinisigawan?"

There must be clarity on our role in life, so that our relationship will be clear. Kapag ang isa ay hindi malinaw....Hindi malinaw sa mga anak kung sino ang magulang sa anak. Kapag may hinihingi ang anak sa magulang, kung makasigaw ang anak. If you know that they are your parents, then respect must be there. If it is clear to you that you are a husband or a wife, then faithfulness must be there. Hindi kayo kikilos dalaga o binata, kasi hindi ka na dalaga, at hindi ka na binata. Ako po ay pari, wala akong asawa, pero hindi ako binata. Hindi ako binata. I am not available. (laughs) Kasal ako sa simbahan. Nakuha po ninyo?

Kasi nagtatampo ang mga tao, 'Si Father, ang hirap imbitahin. Kakain lang naman, eh.' Aba'y kung pwede, bakit hindi? Tapos pag sama nang sama sa inyo ang pari, sasabihin n'yo, 'Kaladkarin 'yang si Father'. (laughs) Pag hindi sumama, ang sungit ni Father. Di ba? Mga minamahal kong mga kapatid, sa panahon ngayon, wala nang paring namatay sa gutom. (laughs) Madalang na nga kayong makakita ng paring payat, eh. (laughs) Di po ba? At karamihan ng sakit ng pari, kundi diabetes, alta presyon. Sobra sa kain. (laughs) Dahil may mga taong walang tigil ang pakain. (laughs) Lalong lalo na pag piyesta. 'Konti lang, Father, konti lang.' Feeling ba nila eh maraming bituka ang pari. (laughs) Kaya mahirap maging pari ngayon. Pag sumama sa babae, babaero. Pag lalaki ang kasama, bakla. (laughs) Pag sumama sa mga bata, pedophile siguro 'yan. (laughs) Sino ako sa inyo? Who am I to you?

Noong buhay pa po ang aking mga magulang, pag bumibisita ako sa bahay, syempre bago kumain, magdarasal. Sasabihin ng Tatay ko, 'Yong pari ang magbe-bless ng food'. Ang sagot ko doon eh, 'Yong Tatay po ng tahanan ang mangunguna sa pagdarasal'. Sasabihin ng Tatay ko, 'Eh, pari ka na, eh.' Ang sagot ko do'n eh, 'For you, I have become a priest, but with you, I remain a son'. Dapat malinaw ang relasyon. Because if the relationship is not clear, then we fail to play our role towards each other. Kaya sabi ni Cardinal sa kanyang Facebook, sa aming mga pari, 'Hindi ka artista, hindi ka singer, hindi ka contractor, pari ka. Magpaka-pari ka.' Tama naman ho 'yon.

Mga minamahal na mga kapatid, it's good to ask ourselves. Ako bilang magulang, bilang anak, bilang asawa, ginagampanan ko ba ang aking tungkulin? Kaya nga nakakalungkot ang tanong ng isa. Sabi niya, "Father, hanggang kailan ko ba susustentuhan ang aking matandang magulang?" Malungkot na tanong. Hindi ko sinagot kung kailan. Ang tanong ko ay, "Gaano mo sila kamahal?" Gaano mo sila kamahal? Sapagkat dapat malinaw sa inyo kung ano ang inyong relasyon sa kanila. At sana, ang relasyon na 'yan ay hindi dahil sa obligasyon, kundi sa pagmamahal. Sapagkat kapag nawala na ang pagmamahal, magsisimula na tayong magkwentahan sa bawat isa.

The 'God-question' will lead us to 'man-question'. Who do you say that I am? Sino ba Ako para sa iyo? Kaya kapag mayroon tayong problema sa ating mga relasyon - sino ba siya para sa atin? Sino ba ako para sa kanila?

My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, ask yourself. Malinaw ba sa akin kung sino ako? Ikalawa, nagagawa ko ba ang aking tungkulin sa aking kasama? Sa harapan ng Diyos, sino ako, at sino Siya? Kung maliwanag sa inyo, hindi ka magrereklamo kung bakit kailangan mong magdasal, at hindi ka magrereklamo kung bakit kailangan kang magsimba.  

Gospel Reflection

August 07, 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 Nm 13:1-2, 25–14:1, 26a-29a, 34-35

The LORD said to Moses [in the desert of Paran,] “Send men to reconnoiter the land of Canaan, which I am giving the children of Israel. You shall send one man from each ancestral tribe, all of them princes.”

After reconnoitering the land for forty days they returned, met Moses and Aaron and the whole congregation of the children of Israel in the desert of Paran at Kadesh, made a report to them all, and showed the fruit of the country to the whole congregation. They told Moses: “We went into the land to which you sent us. It does indeed flow with milk and honey, and here is its fruit. However, the people who are living in the land are fierce, and the towns are fortified and very strong. Besides, we saw descendants of the Anakim there. Amalekites live in the region of the Negeb; Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites dwell in the highlands, and Canaanites along the seacoast and the banks of the Jordan.”

Caleb, however, to quiet the people toward Moses, said, “We ought to go up and seize the land, for we can certainly do so.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We cannot attack these people; they are too strong for us.” So they spread discouraging reports among the children of Israel about the land they had scouted, saying, “The land that we explored is a country that consumes its inhabitants. And all the people we saw there are huge, veritable giants (the Anakim were a race of giants); we felt like mere grasshoppers, and so we must have seemed to them.”

At this, the whole community broke out with loud cries, and even in the night the people wailed.

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: “How long will this wicked assembly grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the children of Israel against me. Tell them: By my life, says the LORD, I will do to you just what I have heard you say. Here in the desert shall your dead bodies fall. Forty days you spent in scouting the land; forty years shall you suffer for your crimes: one year for each day. Thus you will realize what it means to oppose me. I, the LORD, have sworn to do this to all this wicked assembly that conspired against me: here in the desert they shall die to the last man.”

 

Responsorial Psalm PS 106:6-7ab, 13-14, 21-22, 23

R. (4a) Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
We have sinned, we and our fathers;
we have committed crimes; we have done wrong.
Our fathers in Egypt
considered not your wonders.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
But soon they forgot his works;
they waited not for his counsel.
They gave way to craving in the desert
and tempted God in the wilderness.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They forgot the God who had saved them,
who had done great deeds in Egypt,
Wondrous deeds in the land of Ham,
terrible things at the Red Sea.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Then he spoke of exterminating them,
but Moses, his chosen one,
Withstood him in the breach
to turn back his destructive wrath.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

 

Gospel Mt 15: 21-28

At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

HOMILY

'Yong ating Ebanghelyo ngayon medyo may pagka-kontrobersiyal. If you listened very well to the Gospel, a Canaanite woman approached our Lord. When you say Canaanite, that means she is not an Israelite. She is outside of Israel. And a Canaanite is considered an outsider. And because Jesus is considered a Jewish religious leader, by law, the woman has no right to approach the Lord. So when the woman approached Jesus, many were surprised. Para bang sinabi nila na ang lakas naman ng loob ng babaeng ito. They believed that the woman had no right to approach Jesus, who is a religious leader of Israel.

And what did Jesus say in response to the pleading of the woman? Mas nakaka-iskandalo. Because when the lady approached the Lord, Jesus said, "It is not mine to take the food for the children and throw it to the dogs." It's as if Jesus is saying that His service is only for the children of Israel, and not for others. And it's as if Jesus was calling the woman a 'dog'. But the woman gave a very beautiful reply. "But Lord, even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters." Sinasabi ng babae na kahit na ang mga aso ay nakikinabang sa mga mumo na nalalaglag sa mesa ng kanilang panginoon.

So what is the woman saying here? 'Yes, I know I have no right. This is not my right. I know it is a privilege....but let me partake of that privilege.' And when Jesus saw that mentality, Jesus said, 'Your wish will be fulfilled.'

What is the good thing about the woman? The woman has no sense of entitlement. For her, everything is grace. Marami sa atin, ang ating mentality - o, I deserve it. Kailangang ibigay mo sa akin 'yan. It is my right. So we have that sense of entitlement. And so because we have that sense of entitlement, what happens? We become less grateful. Sometimes, there are things that are given to us, not as a right, but as a privilege, but we tend to ignore it. Hindi na tayo nagpapasalamat. We believe that it is our right, not our privilege. But if we open our eyes, we will recognize that many things that we enjoy are actually privileges. But we don't recognize them.

For example - why do we have a chapel in the mall? Is that your right, to have a chapel inside the mall? No. It is a privilege. But have we ever thought about it - 'Lord, thank You, that at this time, we are able to hear the mass even in the middle of the mall.' It is a privilege, not a right. Mayroon tayong mga taong nagsisilbi dito sa chapel. They are not paid individuals. Have you ever said 'thank you' to them? Halimbawa, 'Uy salamat ha, sa service mo.' It is not our right. It is our privilege that they are here with us. Let's thank them for their service. Pag meron tayong sense of entitlement, makakalimutan natin 'yan. Hindi tayo magpapasalamat.

There are also many things that people do to you, not as a right, but as a privilege. But do you recognize them as such? Kapag ipinagluto ka ng masarap na pagkain ng iyong asawa o ng iyong nanay, nagpapasalamat ka ba? Sometimes, because of our sense of entitlement, we behave like kings or queens. 'Pagsilbihan mo ako.' At kapag nakakain ka na, magrereklamo ka, 'Naku, hindi masarap itong niluto mo.' Hindi mo binabayaran ang magulang mo, o ang asawa mo. Lalo na 'yong mga anak - 'yong pag-aalaga na ginagawa sa atin ng ating mga magulang, these are privileges that are being given to us.

The woman in the story was commended by the Lord because she did not have a sense of entitlement. She recognizes that everything is grace, everything is gift. And paradoxically, when you begin to recognize that you do not deserve anything, everything will be given to you. That is the paradox. When we approach the Lord and believe that we do not deserve anything from Him, that is the time that we will be given everything. When Jesus saw that in the woman, what did Jesus say? Her wish will be fulfilled at that very hour.

In this mass, let us pray for that grace that we may recognize that everything is a gift, and that everything is a privilege. And therefore, let us pray for the gift of gratitude in our hearts. Only then will everything be given to us. Amen.