October 06, 2012
Anticipated Sunday Mass
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
by Rev. Fr. Jun Sescon (Chaplain, Sto. Niño de Paz Greenbelt Chapel)
Mass at Sto. Niño de Paz Greenbelt Chapel
Reading 1 Gn 2:18-24
The LORD God said: "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him." So the LORD God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each of them would be its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all wild animals; but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.
So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the man, the man said: "This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called 'woman, ' for out of 'her man' this one has been taken." That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh.
So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the man, the man said: "This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called 'woman, ' for out of 'her man' this one has been taken." That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
R. (cf. 5) May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
May you see your children's children.
Peace be upon Israel!
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
May you see your children's children.
Peace be upon Israel!
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Reading 2 Heb 2:9-11
Brothers and sisters: He "for a little while" was made "lower than the angels, " that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering. He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them 'brothers.'
Gospel Mk 10:2-16
The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?" They were testing him. He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?" They replied, "Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her." But Jesus told them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mothe and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate." In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."
And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me;do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me;do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
or Mk 10:2-12
The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?" They were testing him. He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?" They replied, "Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her." But Jesus told them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate." In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."
HOMILY
Today, Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle has requested the parishes, chapels, and the communities to elaborate and present to the faithful his pastoral letter on the Year of Faith. So, I will digress a bit and not give the regular Homily, but instead give an explanation on the letter of the Archbishop.
This October 11, 2012, His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI will lead the opening of the Year of Faith. And on that occasion, our dear Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle has written a pastoral letter on the Year of Faith. The Year of Faith will begin on October 11, 2012 and will end on November 24, 2013.
There are two occasions why Pope Benedict chose October 11, 2012. The first occasion is the 50th Anniversary of the second Vatican Council (Vatican II) in 1962. In 1962, the Church so wanted renewal. If you remember, the mass then was in Latin. Vatican II was a continuity in tradition, because the Church had to read the signs of the times, but still retaining its essence. Pope John the XXIII, who is now Blessed John XXIII, opened Vatican II. The Council was continued by Pope Paul VI, the first Pope who went to the Philippines in 1970.
Another occasion being celebrated on October 11 is the 20th Anniversary of the proclamation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which was in the year 1992. Blessed John Paul II promulgated the new Catechism, showing that the Church is sensitive to the signs of the times. Yes, the Church also knows how to change, but the Church also knows how to retain what is essential. There are things that must change, but there are also things that must remain. Kaya nga dito sa Catechism of the Catholic Church, doon pumasok na ang mga bagong interpretation. For example, now, the Church says, abusing the natural environment is a sin. It is morally wrong to destroy the environment, as you are also stealing from the next generation.
In the Year of Faith, Pope Benedict XVI invites us to look closely at the contemporary world - its beauty and wounds. But the continuity of the Church throughout the ages, must allow various forms of renewal. The Church is not just a teaching Church. The Church is also a learning Church, a listening Church, and that is what has happened upon the urgings of the Second Vatican Council.
Archbishop Tagle tells us "God initiates a relationship with us. God opens the door of faith." Faith is our door to God. Faith is what will allow us to enter into a communion, a life-long encounter with the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit - that intimacy with a triune God. That is what happens in the Church. If there is no faith, everything else cannot follow.
And that is why in this Year of Faith, the first challenge of our Archbishop is a better understanding of what believe in, through catechesis and formation. Here in Greenbelt, for one year, we will have a lecture series on how to deepen our faith. Aminin po nating mga Katoliko, diyan po tayo mahina. We really do not know our faith. We are good at prayers, at processions, novenas, but we must also deepen the content of faith.
Second is renewed appreciation and celebration of the mystery of our faith. There must be a renewed appreciation and understanding of our mass, our sacraments. The Year of Faith will allow us to deepen our appreciation of the Liturgy. Third, there is a joyful living of the faith, expressed especially through conversion, a moral life governed by justice and charity, solidarity with, and service of the poor, and courageous witnessing to what we believe in. In this Year of Faith, let us examine our conscience, ourselves, and say - how much really of our faith has shaped our lives? How much of our faith, really, has given us courage? May the Year of Faith be a moment of introspection and examination.
And lastly, a rediscovery of Ecclesial Communion, where the diverse gifts of the Holy Spirit are offered and developed to strengthen the Church, and serve its mission here and even abroad. We have our missionaries. Yes, they are there to work. Faith also leads to mission. This month, Pope Benedict XVI will canonize another Filipino saint, Saint Pedro Calungsod, who was a missionary. And it is a good reminder for us that every Christian is a missionary. Faith is not for private use only; it is supposed to be shared. And the first sharing happens in the home, in the family.
The Year of Faith is also a challenge for us Filipinos, because it opens for us a 9-year preparation for the commemoration of the 500th Anniversary of the arrival of the Christian faith on our shores, in 1521, when the first mass was celebrated in the Philippines. The Year of Faith will be our jumping board towards that Jubilee. Sana nga po, pagdating ng 2021, we can be proud to tell the world that we are a Christian nation, because our country has lived up to our faith.
Dear brothers and sisters, the Archbishop is challenging us to examine our faith. What is really the role of our faith? Faith is supposed to change us. Faith is supposed to shape us. Faith is supposed to influence us. But what has been happening ever since? It is man who tries to change the faith, trying to shape things. Baligtad po - sa halip na tayo ang mabago ng pananampalataya, ang pinipilit nating baguhin ay ang pananampalataya.
That is what happened in the Gospel today. The Pharisees want divorce, but Jesus said that it has been stated from the very beginning, that God created male and female, and what God has united can never be divided. God simply says that the problem is we are supposed to change, but what is happening is we are changing the rules of the game.
Sa mga anak, may mga pagkakataong gusto ninyong baguhin ang inyong mga magulang. Pero di ba napagtanto ninyo na hindi pwede, ikaw ang mababago. You have to understand why your parents did not give in, why they stood firm and were steadfast in their principles. Because that is true parenting. Kung lagi pong ang magulang ang magbabago sa anak, ano po ang mangyayari sa anak paglaki - spoiled. Kasi lahat ng paligid niya ay nagbago para sa kanya, pero siya ay hindi natutong magbago para sa kapwa.
In France right now, there is a new bill, which proposes to ban the words "mother" and "father", and replace it with "parent". They declare that marriage is a union of two people of different or the same gender. Perhaps you would say words lang 'yon. But what is the underlying current of that abstraction? Slowly, they want to discard the essential difference that God has created in nature. Yes, sometimes, we want to be politically correct, but in the end, we become morally wrong. That is the danger, if we keep on changing, instead of being changed. That is the danger when we do not understand what faith is all about.
And so as we continue with this mass, as we look forward to the opening of the Year of Faith, we ask the Lord to help us, to enlighten us. We pray: Lord, thank you for the gift of faith. Thank you, for even though we are far, our country has been gifted with Christian faith, where, for the past almost 500 years, You have been with us. Lord, may that faith shape us, inspire us, influence us, and above all, change us, so that we may become the nation You have a mission. That we may become a people You have in store in Your plan. Lord, purify our faith. Pardon us for the times You want to change our ways. Enlighten us so that we will know what is important, we will know what is eternal, Amen.
