Gospel Reflection

October 05, 2012

First Friday

St. Faustina, Virgin (Optional Memorial)

St Flora, Patron of abandoned, converts, single laywomen, and victims of betrayal

by Rev. Fr. Joseph “Joey” Faller (Spiritual Director of the Kamay ni Hesus Healing Center, Lucban Quezon Province)

Lunch Mass at Megamall, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord

Reading 1 Jb 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5

The LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said: Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place For taking hold of the ends of the earth, till the wicked are shaken from its surface? The earth is changed as is clay by the seal, and dyed as though it were a garment; But from the wicked the light is withheld, and the arm of pride is shattered.

Have you entered into the sources of the sea, or walked about in the depths of the abyss? Have the gates of death been shown to you, or have you seen the gates of darkness? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell me, if you know all: Which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness, That you may take them to their boundaries and set them on their homeward paths? You know, because you were born before them, and the number of your years is great!

Then Job answered the LORD and said: Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again; though twice, I will do so no more.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab

R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother's womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

Gospel Lk 10:13-16

Jesus said to them, "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon
at the judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum, 'Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.' Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."

HOMILY

Today, we remember our teachers, as today is World Teachers' Day. Alalahanin natin ang ating mga naging teachers, as they are the ones who imparted the knowledge that we have today. I received a text from someone, at napakaganda po ng sinabi tungkol sa mga teachers. "You are not my parent, but you take care and love me. You are a friend to me, because you tell me, not just what is good in me, but what I can improve on. I come and I will go into your life, but you are the biggest part of who am I now. You are my forever teacher, my hero. Thank you. Happy Teachers' Day, my mentor." Palakpakan po natin ang mga teachers natin.

In our Holy Gospel, Jesus is presented as a different teacher - a different preacher. He was presented today in our Holy Gospel as a very angry teacher, because He was condemning Tyre and Sydon, he was condemning Bethsaida, Capernaum, Chorazin. He was giving a certain kind of woe to them. Kung sa Tagalog po ay mas maiintindihan natin - sawimpalad kayo. Bakit po Niya binanggit ang lahat ng ito? It is because Jesus is so frustrated. He has performed a lot of miracles in that area. Some of the Disciples came from Bethsaida and Capernaum, and those places witnessed the miracles of the Lord. Pero sa kabila ng lahat, naging makasalan pa rin sila.

This is also an indication for all of us, to look at our own lives. There are many miracles in our own life. But sometimes, we fail to see the miracles of Jesus, as a lot of us are always looking for big, dramatic miracles. The Lord is giving us even small miracles. Haven't you realized that there is the miracle of a new day, the miracle of a new life, when you wake up in the new morning - na kanina ay gising ka pa, buhay ka pa. This is one of the miracles that the Lord has performed today. Hindi Niya tayo kinalimutan. Hindi Niya tayo pinabayaan.

Therefore, today, I invite you to look at our own lives, and begin to see so many blessings, so many miracles in our life. Because our tendency is to always look for the problem - our financial lack, our sickness. It is important for us to count the blessings that we have, and not focus on the misfortunes that we have.

I would like to share with you the story of Evelyn, the secretary of Mrs. Sy. Matindi po ang kanyang pinagdaanan. Dalawa po sa kanyang anak ang namatay, one of them ay sa isang aksidente, na nabangga. Years after that, after so much agony and pain, Evelyn was diagnosed to have cancer of the ovary. Patuloy po na pinagdarasal ko siya. Her cancer has already mestastasized, nasa brain na po, at hiniling po ni Evelyn na i-pray over ko siya linggo-linggo. For the past seven weeks, I have been going to the Alabang Town Center, and praying for her at the St. Jerome Chapel. Makaraan po ang dalawang linggo, she suffered a stroke. Pumutok ang ugat sa brain niya. Apat na beses ko po siyang dinalaw, pero hindi ko po siya nakausap - tulog at medyo nanghihina.

Kanina po, bago ako pumunta dito, sinubukan po namin siyang tawagan, mula sa SM Makati, at sumagot siya. At ang unang salita niya, "Father, praise the Lord. Ngayon lang ako nakakain ng solid for the past one week." How can you praise the Lord when you are in so much pain, when you have stage 4 cancer? You can praise the Lord when you are happy, when you are at peace. But this woman has been through a lot of pain and suffering, but the first words of hers were, "Praise the Lord."

What about you? During times of suffering, during times of trial, can you also say "Praise the Lord" with all conviction and with all your heart? Dear brothers and sisters, today we are invited to look at the blessings that we have. Some blessings are blessings in disguise. Some blessings are given to you late, but all of these are from the Lord. We need to be thankful, and the greatest manifestation of thanksgiving is through the Holy Eucharist.

The second point about the Holy Gospel is the power given to the Disciples. "He who hears you, hears Me. He who rejects you, rejects Me. And he who rejects Me, rejects the one who sent Me." This reminds us of the power of the Lord - the empowering presence of the Lord. When you see the priest celebrating the Mass, it is Christ who celebrates. When the priest preaches the Holy Gospel, it is Jesus preaching.

Tayo, gustong-gusto natin ang mga paring magaling magpatawa o mag-crack ng jokes. But then I came to realize, that the greatest Homily is when you are being convicted to change, when you are affected by the Word of God. You have to rejoice if the Word of God is convicting you to change your life. The Word of God is so powerful. Malungkot po tayo kapag ang salita ng Diyos ay hindi na po tumatama sa atin, kapag wala na po itong epekto sa atin, sapagkat hindi na po tumatama ang Salita ng Diyos sa ating puso, sa ating kalooban.

Mga kaibigan, kapag tayo ay hindi na tinatamaan, hindi na tayo naaapektuhan, hindi na tayo naiiyak sa Salita ng Diyos, malungkot ka, because there is something wrong with you. But if the Word of God is convicting you to change your life, then the Holy Gospel is alive in your life. Today, as we meditate on the Word of God, let us try to reflect. Is there a single Word, a single Mass, a single hour for the Lord that you are invited to change your life? The effect of the Holy mass is a changed and renewed heart. Anybody who is in Christ is a new creation.

 St. Faustina - Pray for us

St. Flora - Pray for us

You may also want to see:  A Holy Life - St. Faustina
                                              A Holy Life - St. Flora

A Holy Life

Saint Flora, Virgin

Patron of abandoned, converts, single laywomen, and victims of betrayal

Feast day – October 05

St. Flora, Virgin, Patron of the abandoned, of converts, single laywomen, and victims of betrayal – Feast day is October 5th. Flora was born in France about the year 1309. She was a devout child and later resisted all attempts on the part of her parents to find a husband for her. In 1324, she entered the Priory of Beaulieu of the Hospitaller nuns of St. John of Jerusalem. Here she was beset with many and diverse trials, fell into a depressed state, and was made sport of by some of her religious sisters. However, she never ceased to find favor with God and was granted many unusual and mystical favors. One year on the feast of All Saints, she fell into an ecstasy and took no nourishment until three weeks later on the feast of St. Cecelia. On another occasion, while meditating on the Holy Spirit, she was raised four feet from the ground and hung in the air in full view of many onlookers. She also seemed to be pierced with the arms of Our Lord's cross, causing blood to flow freely at times from her side and at others, from her mouth. Other instances of God's favoring of his servant were also reported, concerning prophetic knowledge of matters of which she could not naturally know. Through it all, St. Flora remained humble and in complete communion with her Divine Master, rendering wise counsel to all who flocked to her because of her holiness and spiritual discernment. In 1347, she was called to her eternal reward and many miracles were worked at her tomb.

I will force myself to be brave and full of courage when the devil suggests things to me which would offend our Lord.

 

Sources for this article were taken from:  Catholic Online: http://www.catholic.org/saints/

 

Prayer

Glorious Saint Flora, my beloved patron, you served God in humility and confidence on earth. Now you enjoy His beatific vision in heaven. You persevered till death and gained the crown of eternal life. Remember now the dangers and confusion and anguish that surround me and intercede for me in my needs and troubles, especially (name your intention here).

Amen.

Saint Flora – Pray for us

 

 

A Holy Life

Saint Faustina, Virgin

Polish Nun – Devotion to Divine Mercy

Feast day – October 05

Newly canonized in 2000, some areas celebrate the Optional Memorial of St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun who was chosen by Jesus to remind the world of the mystery of God's merciful love, the devotion to Divine Mercy.

Before the reform of the General Roman Calendar in 1969 today was the commemoration of St. Placid and His Companions. St. Placid was placed in the care of St. Benedict at Subiaco by his father when quite young. There had been a group of fourth-century Sicilian martyrs of whom one had the name Placid. This Placid was erroneously identified with the disciple of St. Benedict; thus arose the legend that the monk Placid, his sister, and thirty monks suffered martyrdom in the port of Messina at the hands of pirates.

St. Faustina Kowalska, Virgin

Saint Faustina was born in the 20th century, and canonized in the year 2000. Jesus chose her to deliver to the modern world a message as old as eternity. It is the message of his love for all people, especially sinners. Jesus said to Faustina, "Today I am sending you with my mercy to the people of the whole world." It is his desire to heal the aching world, to draw all people into his merciful heart of love.

On February 22, 1931, Jesus appeared to Faustina as the King of Divine Mercy. He asked her to have a picture painted of him as she saw him — clothed in white, with red and white rays of light streaming from his heart. The rays represent the blood and water that flowed from the side of Jesus on the cross. Under the image are the words, "Jesus, I trust in you."

Many people did not believe Faustina at first. The sisters in her own convent thought that Jesus could not possibly have selected her for this great favor. After all, she was an uneducated peasant girl. Her superiors often refused to give her permission to carry out Jesus' requests. Church theologians, too, doubted her word. Jesus told Faustina that he loved her obedience and that his will would be done in the end.

In June 1934 an artist completed the painting of the Divine Mercy according to her instructions; and it soon became a focus for devotion. Faustina continued to record in her diary the appearances of Jesus. The diary was translated into English and published in 1987 with the title Divine Mercy in My Soul.

Faustina, baptized Helena, had grown up in a poor Polish family of 10 children. When she was 15 years old, she quit school in order to work as a housemaid to help support her family. By the time she was 18, she was sure that God was calling her to a religious life, but her parents objected. So she tried to put it out of her mind. But one night, while the lively polka music was playing at a village dance, Helena saw Jesus, sad and suffering. The very next day she packed a small bag and went to the capital city of Warsaw to join the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. There she received the name Sister Mary Faustina.

About 10 years later, Faustina contracted tuberculosis. Soon she was too weak to manage the heavy gardening assigned to her. So she was given the job of gatekeeper. She was able to show mercy to the poor people who came to the convent looking for food. Once Jesus came to the door as a poor young man. After he had eaten the soup and bread Faustina gave him, she recognized him. Jesus told her he had come to experience with great joy her tender love and mercy.

Faustina was canonized by the first Polish pope, John Paul II, on April 30, 2000. The first Sunday after Easter was declared Divine Mercy Sunday. 

Sources for this article were taken from:  Saints and Feast Days: A Resource and Activity Book by The Sisters of Notre Dame of Chardon, Ohio.

 

Prayer

Dear St. Faustina, I have come to know you as a friend. I ask you to plead to the Lord for me the prayer I ask of you. In times of doubt, dear friend, implore the Lord's Mercy as you did so often here on earth, that I may remember who I am, and to what His mercy has called me.

In times of fear, implore His Mercy that I may ever remember to trust, and trust again, in joy, and in the knowledge that God is preparing me for a beautiful mission.

Please pray dear St. Faustina, that I may never forget that the abyss between my Lord and I has been bridged by His tender mercy. He will continue to be faithful and heal me of anything which stands in the way of His Will. My life is in His Hands.

Thank you dear friend. Pray with me the prayer Our Lord taught you to spread throughout the world; Jesus, I trust in You! Remind all pilgrims of life that if our trust is great, there is no limit to Jesus' generosity.

Amen.

Saint Faustina – Pray for us