November 07, 2012
Wednesday
– Weekday – Year of Faith
by Rev. Fr. Nilo Mangussad (Rector Our Lady of Peace
Quasi-Parish)
Lunch Mass at Shrine of Mary, Queen
of Peace (Our Lady of EDSA)
Reading 1 Phil 2:12-18
My beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when
I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation
with fear and trembling. For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in
you both to desire and to work. Do everything without grumbling or questioning,
that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the
midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in
the world, as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of
Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. But, even if I am
poured out as a libation upon the sacrificial service of your faith, I rejoice
and share my joy with all of you. In the same way you also should rejoice and
share your joy with me.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14
R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Gospel Lk 14:25-33
Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and
addressed them, "If anyone comes to me without hating his father and
mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he
cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first
sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise,
after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work
the onlookers should laugh at him and say, 'This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.' Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple."
the onlookers should laugh at him and say, 'This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.' Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple."
HOMILY
We
Filipinos are very hardworking. We know how to pour our heart, and we work
hard. Unfortunately, no thanks to commercialism, we are starting to change. We
would like to do things as quickly as possible and achieve results immediately.
Not only that. We want the maximum accomplishment with the least and minimal
effort. True?
Why do I need to go to a 1-hour mass when we can attend EDSA Shrine for 30 minutes? Right? Admit it. Why do we need to go on a Sunday mass, when we can have it a day before, anticipated and much shorter? Why do I have to go to confession every month, when I can do it minimally once a year?
My brothers and sisters, this is what the Gospel is trying to remind us. If we do not know how to give up the call of this world, we do not know how to give up our own personal desires and dictates, we are no good disciples of Christ. When Christ said to 'hate your parents', 'hate your children', it was an overkill of what He was trying to say. Jesus was trying to say "Prefer Me over them. Do not prefer other people, but prefer Me, because in so doing, I will give you the grace to sustain your life better on earth."
My brothers and sisters, it is good to be reflective. How well are we deserving of the graces coming from the Lord? Yes, we do practice our religiosity. But are we doing it because we love the Lord and we deserve to be given the grace, or are we doing it because it is easier this way - I can achieve maximum results with the least effort? The Lord needs maximum effort from the least that we could ever give to Him. We need to give everything, and that is the least that we can do to achieve a true relationship with Him. The question is - are we willing to give up everything for the Lord, or are we still holding back because of what we love in this world?
Why do I need to go to a 1-hour mass when we can attend EDSA Shrine for 30 minutes? Right? Admit it. Why do we need to go on a Sunday mass, when we can have it a day before, anticipated and much shorter? Why do I have to go to confession every month, when I can do it minimally once a year?
My brothers and sisters, this is what the Gospel is trying to remind us. If we do not know how to give up the call of this world, we do not know how to give up our own personal desires and dictates, we are no good disciples of Christ. When Christ said to 'hate your parents', 'hate your children', it was an overkill of what He was trying to say. Jesus was trying to say "Prefer Me over them. Do not prefer other people, but prefer Me, because in so doing, I will give you the grace to sustain your life better on earth."
My brothers and sisters, it is good to be reflective. How well are we deserving of the graces coming from the Lord? Yes, we do practice our religiosity. But are we doing it because we love the Lord and we deserve to be given the grace, or are we doing it because it is easier this way - I can achieve maximum results with the least effort? The Lord needs maximum effort from the least that we could ever give to Him. We need to give everything, and that is the least that we can do to achieve a true relationship with Him. The question is - are we willing to give up everything for the Lord, or are we still holding back because of what we love in this world?
