July 25, 2012
Wednesday
St. James, Apostle (Feast)
Megamall
First Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:7-15
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zeb'edee came up to him, with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." 22 But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." 23 He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; 28 even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
HOMILY
Today’s Gospel is about the essence of servanthood. Kung napanood daw natin ang SONA ni President Noynoy Aquino noong Monday, it speaks of accomplishments, promises unfulfilled, of blaming others. Ganoon din daw ang karamihan sa atin. Proud tayo sa ating mga accomplishments but alongside that, marami tayong unfulfilled promises – mga pagbabagong di natin alintana kung tayo ang may pagkukulang.
Kung may SONA, dapat daw tayong magkaroon ng ating SOSA – our State of the Soul Address. When did we last have a check on our conscience? When we did last have our SOSA? With our SOSA, we will realize that there is nothing we can claim as our own – everything comes from God. Wala tayong magagawa kung wala ang Diyos sa buhay natin.
As servants, we should let go of our pride and self-interests. Instead, we should strive to do good for the benefit of many and to share to others that God is the foundation of truth and our identity as Christians. As St. Thomas Aquinas said, to be a good servant is to achieve three things – humility, humility and humility.
In the end, once we do our SOSA, dalawa lang ang ating sasabihin sa Panginoon: “Salamat po sa lahat ng biyaya”, at “Ako po ay isang makasalanan Panginoon, patawarin mo po ako”.
Kung may SONA, dapat daw tayong magkaroon ng ating SOSA – our State of the Soul Address. When did we last have a check on our conscience? When we did last have our SOSA? With our SOSA, we will realize that there is nothing we can claim as our own – everything comes from God. Wala tayong magagawa kung wala ang Diyos sa buhay natin.
As servants, we should let go of our pride and self-interests. Instead, we should strive to do good for the benefit of many and to share to others that God is the foundation of truth and our identity as Christians. As St. Thomas Aquinas said, to be a good servant is to achieve three things – humility, humility and humility.
In the end, once we do our SOSA, dalawa lang ang ating sasabihin sa Panginoon: “Salamat po sa lahat ng biyaya”, at “Ako po ay isang makasalanan Panginoon, patawarin mo po ako”.
