Gospel Reflection

March 27, 2013

Holy Wednesday – Year of Faith – Lenten Seasons

Holy Week

by Rev.  Fr. Joel Jason (Dean, Graduate School of Theology San Carlos Seminary)

12;15PM Mass at Megamall, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord

                         

Reading 1 Is 50:4-9a

The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, That I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; And I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame. He is near who upholds my right; if anyone wishes to oppose me, let us appear together. Who disputes my right? Let him confront me. See, the Lord GOD is my help; who will prove me wrong?

Responsorial Psalm PS 69:8-10, 21-22, 31 and 33-34

R. (14c) Lord, in your great love, answer me.
For your sake I bear insult,
and shame covers my face.
I have become an outcast to my brothers,
a stranger to my mother’s sons,
because zeal for your house consumes me,
and the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Insult has broken my heart, and I am weak,
I looked for sympathy, but there was none;
for consolers, not one could I find.
Rather they put gall in my food,
and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving:
“See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.”
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

Gospel Mt 26:14-25

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”‘“ The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover.

When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.”

HOMILY

Magandang tanghali po sa inyong lahat. 

Alam ko hong naikwento ko na sa inyo ito minsan, but let me share it with you once again, because it is a very good time to repeat the story, and make it a starting point for my reflection this afternoon. 

Minsan po merong isang babaeng nag-abroad, nakakita siya ng very expensive na diamond necklace worth US$10,000. Ang ginawa niya, tinext niya 'yong asawa niya na nasa Pilipinas. Sabi niya, "Honey, nakakita ako ng necklace, US$10,000. Bibilhin ko ba sa credit card mo? And then sumagot 'yong asawa niya, "No, price is too high dear."

So pag-uwi no'ng babae, nagmamadali siya, nagpunta do'n sa asawa niya, "Honey, narito na 'yong diamond necklace na pinabili mo." Sabi no'ng lalaki, "Hindi ba sabi ko sa 'yo, huwag mong bilhin?" So ang sabi ng babae, "Hindi, ito nga 'yong text mo, o." And then pinakita niya 'yong text at ang nakasulat, "No price is too high dear." Nakalimutan niya 'yong comma after the word 'no'. Kaya naiba ang meaning ng kanyang sinabi. Ang ibig sabihin ay walang mahal. 

Alam n'yo sa istoryang 'yan, mayroong dalawang nagtatalong attitudes. Ano 'yong dalawang nagtatalong attitudes dito? 'Yong tinatawag nating the 'spirit of calculation' and the 'spirit of evaluation'. Maraming mga tao, they always calculate. Laging nagbibilang, laging nagtatantiya. Pag nakakita ng presyo, laging ang recount niya, "No, price is too high dear." Pero 'yong mga taong nabubuhay sa spirit of evaluation, ano 'yon? 'Yon 'yong mga taong hindi masyadong nagbibilang. Kasi pinapahalagahan nila ang value ng mga bagay-bagay. Kaya para sa isang taong nagmamahal, ano'ng sinasabi niya, "No price is too high dear." 

Sa ating Ebanghelyo, makikita natin itong dalawang nagtatalong attitudes na ito. Si Hudas, ano 'yong kanyang attitude? Para sa kanya, lagi siyang nabubuhay sa spirit of calculation. Nakita niya ang Panginoon, at ano ang naisip niya agad? 'Naku, maraming naghahanap dito sa aking Panginoon. Siguro pag ibinenta ko ang aking Panginoon, malaki ang makukuha ko dito.' Spirit of calculation. Pag nakakita ng isang bagay, pinepresyuhan agad. 

Actually 'yong kwento ni Hudas, nagsimula pa noong nakaraang Lunes. Nagsimba po ba kayo noong nakaraang Lunes? Ano 'yong Ebanghelyo natin noong nakaraang Lunes? Si Maria, tinanggap si Hesus sa kanyang bahay. At no'ng nandoon ang ating Panginoon, nakakita siya ng mamahaling pabango. Ginamit niya 'yong pabango para hugasan ang paa ng ating Panginoon. Noong makita ni Hudas 'yon, ano'ng sabi niya? 'Ang mahal naman ng pabangong 'yan. Kung ibebenta natin 'yang pabangong 'yan, malaki ang makukuha natin. Bakit ginamit lang para kay Hesus?' The spirit of calculation. Ang nakikita lang niya ay 'yong nabibilang. 

When we are led by the spirit of calculation, we can only see those things that can be counted. 'Yong mga pwedeng bilangin, 'yong mga pwedeng presyuhan. At ito 'yong dahilan kung bakit si Hudas, maging ang ating Panginoon, ay pinresyuhan. 'Magkano kaya ang matatanggap ko kapag ipinagkanulo ko ang aking Panginoon?' 

But we are being called to live in the opposite spirit, and that is the spirit of evaluation. Hindi tayo nagbibilang. Ang tinitingnan natin ay 'yong value, 'yong kahalagahan ng mga bagay. Kaya ang Holy Week, ano'ng tawag natin dito? Mga Mahal na Araw. Bakit Mahal na Araw? Kasi tinitingnan natin dito na mahal ang iginugol ng Diyos para tubusin tayo sa ating mga kasalanan at makamtan natin ang kaligtasan. Mga Mahal na Araw. 

Kaya lang ano'ng problema? Minsan pagdating sa Diyos, binabarat natin ang Diyos. Lagi tayong nagbibilang. Lagi tayong nagtatantiya. Basta para sa atin, hindi tayo nagbibilang. Pero basta para sa Diyos, para sa buhay na espirituwal, ayan nagbibilang tayo. 'Ang tagal naman ng Homily ng paring 'yan, tatlong minuto na, may gagawin pa ako.' Minsan nagsisimula pa lamang mag-Homily ang pari, tumitingin na tayo sa ating relo. Nagbibilang kaagad tayo. Pero pag nanonood tayo ng teleseryeng 'Please be Careful With My Heart', (laughs) naku kahit na marathon hindi natin nabibilang ang oras. Mayroon akong isang kaibigan, sabi niya, "Ay Father alam n'yo ngayong Holy Week, hiniram ko ang lahat ng DVD ng 'Please Be Careful with My Heart', magma-marathon movie ako. (laughs) Ayan hindi tayo nagbibilang, pagdating sa mga bagay na 'yan. Pero pagdating sa Diyos, ayan palagi tayong nagbibilang. 

Merong kwento ng isang Nanay, meron daw siyang apat na anak. 'Yong una niyang anak na lalaki, guwapong guwapo. Sabi niya, "Ay anak mag-artista ka." 'Yong pangalawang anak niya ay matalino. Sabi niya, "Ay anak, mag-ano ka....Presidente ng Pilipinas. O kaya naman ay maging scientist ka." 'Yong pangalawang anak niya, medyo sabihin nating magaling kumanta. Sabi niya, "Ah...mag-singer ka anak. Pumasok ka sa showbusiness." 'Yong pang-apat na anak niya, pangit. And he is also a weakling. Sabi niya, "Ay anak, mag-pari ka na lang." (loud laughs). 

Bakit tayo may ganyang attitude na pag pangit, magpari ka. (laughs) Basta pangit, para sa Diyos. Hindi ba dapat 'yong pinaka-guwapo, 'yong ang dapat para sa Diyos? Kaya noong isang araw, tuwang tuwa ako eh. Meron akong natanggap sa Facebook. Sabi doon, "Hindi lahat ng guwapo at magaling kumanta ay nag-a-artista. Ang iba ay nagpapari. Oh, di ba? (laughs and soft cheers) Nakalagay doon, 'Like if you agree'. Eh di like like like ako ano. (laughs) Kasi kahit paano maganda 'yong attitude. Pag maganda, aba'y ialay natin sa Panginoon. Kaya lang minsan ang ating attitude, basta maganda, basta mahal, ay para sa 'kin 'yan. 'Yong pangit, 'yong mumurahin, 'yan - 'yan na lang ang ibigay natin para sa Diyos. The spirit of calculation. Si Hudas, ganoon ang kanyang attitude. 'Ah...mahal ang makukuha ko dito. Ito para sa akin.' Pero pagdating sa buhay espirituwal, ayan hindi niya binigyan ng pagpapahalaga. 

Ngayong mga Mahal na Araw...ano ang tawag sa atin ng Holy Week? Let us not be very calculating. And let us pay attention, not only to those things that can be counted, but more importantly, to those things that truly count. When you live by the spirit of calculation, ang nakikita mo lang ay 'yong mga bagay na nabibilang, na nakukuwenta. But when you live by the spirit of evaluation, you begin to see those things that truly count, those things that are truly valuable. At ito 'yong dahilan kung bakit tayo mayroong tinatawag na mga Mahal na Araw. 

After this mass, we have a recollection. Ang aking invitation, kung wala naman kayong gagawin, at kung kayo'y libre naman, it is good if you can spend the afternoon attending the recollection. Bakit? Kasi ito 'yong panahon para pagtuunan natin ng pansin 'yong ating buhay espiritu. 'Yong ating buhay espirituwal. 'Yong mga bagay ng ating buhay na hindi nabibilang, pero mahalaga. The spirit of evaluation. 

As we continue with this Holy Mass, let that be the grace that we will ask from the Lord. Na huwag nating gawing mura ang mga Mahal na Araw. Bigyan natin ng atensiyon ang ating ugnayan sa Diyos. Bigyan natin ng atensiyon ang ating buhay espirituwal. Amen.