Gospel Reflection

December 01, 2012

Saturday – Weekday – Year of Faith

First Saturday of the Month

by Rev. Fr. Benjo Fajota (Vice Rector of the EDSA Shrine)

Concelebrated by Rev. Fr. Rafael (Guest priest from Myanmar)

6:30 AM Mass at Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace (Our Lady of EDSA)

Reading 1 Rv 22:1-7

John said: An angel showed me the river of life-giving water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the street, On either side of the river grew the tree of life that produces fruit twelve times a year, once each month; the leaves of the trees serve as medicine for the nations. Nothing accursed will be found anymore. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will look upon his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever and ever.

And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true, and the Lord, the God of prophetic spirits, sent his angel to show his servants what must happen soon." "Behold, I am coming soon." Blessed is the one who keeps the prophetic message of this book.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 95:1-2, 3-5, 6-7ab

R. (1 Cor 16: 22b, see Rev. 22: 20c) Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus!
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus!
For the LORD is a great God,
and a great king above all gods;
In his hands are the depths of the earth,
and the tops of the mountains are his.
His is the sea, for he has made it,
and the dry land, which his hands have formed.
R. Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus!
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus!

Gospel Lk 21:34-36

Jesus said to his disciples: "Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man."

HOMILY

Several years ago, when I was still not a priest, I attended a seminar down in the South and we had sisters, religious and priests in the seminar. On the last day, which happened to be Valentine's Day, I saw one of the sisters, who happened to be in my group, carrying a big cut out heart. She approached me. Sabi ko, "Wow si Sister may heart para sa akin sa Valentine's". And then I noticed when she gave it to me, mayroong uka doon sa heart na card, it was not perfectly done. So ang sabi ko, "Ah, matanda na kasi si Sister, hindi na niya kayang gupitin ang card perfectly."

But I was mistaken when I read the note at the back of the heart which said, "Look at your heart, it is not perfect. Why? Because when God created the human heart, He saw that it is very beautiful. So He decided to keep a part of that heart for Himself. One day, when you say to another person, 'I love you with all my heart', you can never be able to do so unless you ask God that piece of heart which He kept for Himself."

My dear brothers and sisters, our longing, our hunger, our desire, our inmost desire in life, is to be with God, because we have been created in the image and likeness of God. We are so busy with a lot of things. We are so anxious about the so-called coming of the end of times. But what we do not realize is that our busy-ness, our trying to run so hard in this life, is what will keep us unhappy. If we really want to share and experience the fullness of life, we will not only desire for that piece of heart which God kept for himself. We will also be like Him - like God. And that is His ultimate desire for all of us, for us to be gods and goddesses, nothing less. Amen.