Gospel Reflection

September 24, 2012

Monday – Weekday

by Rev. Fr. Rey Reyes (Guest Priest)

Mass at Sto. Niño de Paz Greenbelt Chapel

Reading 1 Prv 3:27-34

Refuse no one the good on which he has a claim when it is in your power to do it for him. Say not to your neighbor, "Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give," when you can give at once. Plot no evil against your neighbor, against one who lives at peace with you. Quarrel not with a man without cause, with one who has done you no harm. Envy not the lawless man and choose none of his ways: To the LORD the perverse one is an abomination, but with the upright is his friendship.

The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but the dwelling of the just he blesses; When dealing with the arrogant, he is stern, but to the humble he shows kindness.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5

R. (1) The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

Gospel Lk 8:16-18

Jesus said to the crowd: "No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away."

HOMILY

As stated to us in our Gospel, you do not place the lamp stand under the bed or under the bushel basket. Rather, if you have the lamp, especially with light, you put in on a lamp stand, so that it will serve the purpose of giving light to the house, and therefore, the light will help the people inside the house.

 

The Lord is reminding us about something that is part of our spiritual life on a daily basis. That there is in us what we may call the gift of the Lord's presence in our life. This gift is to be considered the lamp of our life. And once we receive the gift of the Lord's presence in our life, we are like a lamp that is shining, and because it is shining, many people would notice that. And I believe that the lives of other people will be blessed.

 

This is a very important aspect - what the presence of the Lord in our life can do to us and to others who may become part of our life. In other words, it makes a big difference when we feel and when we experience the presence of the Lord in our life. Once we feel and experience the Lord's presence in our life, the power of the Lord's presence will shine in our life. Kapag tinanggap natin ang Diyos sa ating buhay, mismong ang buhay natin ang magliliwanag. At ang liwanag na ito ay magniningning at sisilay sa buhay ng mga taong nakapaligid sa atin. And the people around us will also experience the effects of that light in our life.

For example, sa inyong tahanan, kung masaya ang inyong pamilya pag nasa bahay ka, ibig sabihin masaya ang mga kasama mo sa bahay kung nandiyan ka at malungkot sila pag matagal kang mawawala. Your presence makes the difference. Gayon din sa inyong opisina at organisasyon. If people are happy when you are around, you should be proud. Ibig sabihin, iba ang dating mo sa kanila. Ang impact mo ay nadarama ng ibang tao. Ang iyong ilaw at liwanag ay nagniningning sa buhay ng iba. This is what the presence of our Lord in our life makes personally. Iba ang magiging buhay mo pag tinanggap mo si Hesus sa iyong buhay at pagkatao, sapagkat maiiba ka, iba ka na at hindi na tulad nang dati mong pagkatao.

 

From more than 2,000 years ago, when Jesus Christ entered into the world, millions of people had already been changed by the presence of the Lord in our life. So many people have already been proclaimed saints - holy men and women in heaven - precisely because of the presence of the Lord in their lives. Their lives were no longer the same again when Jesus Christ entered into their life. Binago na ng Panginoon ang buhay ng mga taong tumanggap sa kanya. This is an indication to each and every one of us, my dear friends in Christ, more so during this week that we are celebrating the Week of the Laity. It is imperative for us to look into ourselves - what does the presence of the Lord make in me? Ano ang naidudulot ng Panginoon sa aking buhay? There must be a difference, there must be a good and far-reaching result that the presence of the Lord brings into our life.

Kaya tanungin natin ang ating sarili. Masaya ba ang mga tao sa bahay kung nandoon ka, o mas masaya ba sila kung wala ka? Liwanag pa ba ang dala mo sa ibang tao, o dilim na? Anong klaseng impact ang naiiwan mo sa ibang tao? This is an invitation to ask ourselves - what is the effect of the presence of the Lord in my life? Is the Lord's presence working in me, also effective and have a positive result to the people around me? Can I say that the presence of the Lord in my life makes a difference? Once our Lord Jesus Christ has become part of our daily life, we can never be the same again, because the presence of our Lord will change us and the lives of others as well. The presence of our Lord will help us become the kind of person our Lord would like us to be. God bless each and every one of you, Amen.