Gospel Reflection

August 18, 2012

Saturday

Anticipated Sunday Mass (Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Greenbelt

First Reading:               Proverbs 9:1-6

Psalm:                         Psalm 34:2-7

Second Reading:           Ephesians 5:15-20

Gospel:                        John 6:51-58    

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh." 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53 So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; 54 he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever."

HOMILY

The Sunday Gospel is about “Jesus as the Living Bread. Whoever eats this Bread will live forever”. The Gospel reminds us that Jesus loves us so much that He shared His Body and Blood to us. Every time we take His Body and Blood, we are in communion with Christ and receive the blessings and miracles of God’s love. We are in God and God is in us, kaya like Jesus, huwag tayong magdamot sa ating kapwa at maging mabuti sa iba.

Gospel Reflection

August 18, 2012

Saturday

Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

by Rev. Fr. Joseph Gil Alonso, Parochial Vicar, Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Makati

Mass at the Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel, Greenbelt, Makati

First Reading:               Ezekiel 18:1-10, 13, 30-32

Psalm:                         Psalm 51:12-15, 18-19

Gospel:                        Matthew 19:13-15         

13 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people; 14 but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away.

HOMILY

The Gospel is about “the Kingdom of God belonging to little children”. People see children as insignificant, irrelevant and a nuisance. But for Jesus, they are role models for discipleship. Kasi sila ay obedient (and even imitate God), helpless and dependent on God, hindi nagpapaligsahan sa posisyon, hindi nagtatanim ng galit.

We have to have the traits of little children and recognize our limitations – na ang lahat ay magagawa natin dahil sa Diyos at dahil kasama natin Siya. Yes may kakayahan nga tayo at galling, pero ang lahat ng ito ay binigay sa atin ng Diyos. At the same time, gabayan din natin ang lahat ng mga bata para sundin ang commandments ni God. Tulungan natin sila sa kanilang mga pangangailangan at maging mabuting ehemplo tayo sa kanila.