June 12, 2013
Wednesday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time
by Rev. Fr. David "Dave" T.
Concepcion
(Spiritual Director, Holy Apostles Senior
Seminary, San Carlos Pastoral Formation Center, Guadalupe, Makati City)
12;15PM Mass, Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel, Greenbelt, Makati
12;15PM Mass, Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel, Greenbelt, Makati
Brothers and sisters: Such confidence we have through Christ
toward God. Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit for anything
as coming from us; rather, our qualification comes from God, who has indeed
qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for
the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, was so glorious that the children of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of its glory that was going to fade, how much more will the ministry of the Spirit be glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, the ministry of righteousness will abound much more in glory. Indeed, what was endowed with glory has come to have no glory in this respect because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was going to fade was glorious, how much more will what endures be glorious.
Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, was so glorious that the children of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of its glory that was going to fade, how much more will the ministry of the Spirit be glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, the ministry of righteousness will abound much more in glory. Indeed, what was endowed with glory has come to have no glory in this respect because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was going to fade was glorious, how much more will what endures be glorious.
R. (see 9c) Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;
holy is he!
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
O LORD, our God, you answered them;
a forgiving God you were to them,
though requiting their misdeeds.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;
holy is he!
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
O LORD, our God, you answered them;
a forgiving God you were to them,
though requiting their misdeeds.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Gospel Mt
5:17-19
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come
to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen,
I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the
smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken
place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and
teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But
whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the
Kingdom of heaven.”
HOMILY
If
you see someone who is beautiful, can you imagine how beautiful is the one that
made her or him? Can you imagine how beautiful is the source of all beauty? If
you admire someone who is holy, can you imagine how holy is the source of
holiness? That is what the First Reading is all about. You don't simply admire
the beauty of the face of Moses brought about by his holiness, but the people
are invited how holy is the God who made Moses holy.
Today, we are celebrating Independence Day. And the simple dynamics is that we begin with dependence, independence and interdependence. Dependence is when, as a little child, we grow dependent to the family to teach us how to live life, how to survive, and most of all, to know what is right or wrong. Independence is not the capacity to do anything you want. Independence is the capacity to exercise responsible freedom. When you talk about responsible freedom, it is the ability to avoid evil and to do good, as a decision from within, and not simply being dictated by someone outside of you.
Now if you ask yourself, "Am I an independent person?", you can answer it in your own way. In the way you make choices, in the way you decide. This will tell you whether you are really independent. Pag hindi n'yo kayang mag-decide na mag-isa para sa isang tamang bagay, ibig sabihin, hindi kayo malaya. Ang isang kalayaan ay hindi lamang kaya mong gawin ang mga bagay na gusto mong gawin, kundi ay kaya mong gawin ang tama, ayon sa kautusan, ayon sa batas, dahil walang sinumang nagdidikta sa iyo.
The difference, my brothers and sisters, is that some people tend to believe that they are independent. The moment you gain independence from the external, there is clear indication that you are not really independent. Kapag sinabing ikaw ay malaya, ang tanong do'n eh, 'sino po ang may sabing ako ay malaya'?
Ito ang magandang halimbawa. Minsan, dinala ko 'yong mga seminarista diyan po sa Mandaluyong, ano po. Dati ang tawag diyan ay mental hospital. Pinapasyal ko do'n ang mga seminarista para malaman namin kung sino sa amin ang mga may sayad, ano po (laughs) at sino ang may kakilala doon. At habang naglalakad kami nang ganyan, pinapaliwanag ng doktor kung ano ang mga sakit ng mga pasyente, habang ang mga seminarista ay nag-aayos pagkatapos ng aming pamamasyal, ipinasyal po ako ng doktor doon sa mga lugar na hindi pwedeng pasyalan. Bakit? Delikado. Ito ay kung saan ang mga pasyente ay nakakulong kasi violente.
At habang kami po ay naglalakad, 'yong isa pong nakakulong doon sabi niya, "Psst." Alam n'yo naman po tayong mga Pilipino, lumilingon kapag may sumutsot sa atin, ano po. Sabi po ng pasyente sa amin, "Bakit kayong dalawa nakakulong?" (laughs) Ako naman eh nag-isip ano. Ito naman pong doktor na kasama ko, maybe it is a habit, ang sabi'y, "Bakit mo naman nasabing kami'y nakakulong?" Ang sabi ng pasyente, "Eh kasi nasa likod kayo ng rehas."
Di ko naisip - kasi ang pagitan nga naman naming dalawa ay rehas lang, di po ba? Rehas lang. It dawned on me - what really makes you free? Does it mean that if you are given a place to move around, you are free? Maganda pong pagtuunan ng pansin 'yon. Maaaring ang pasyente po ay nasa isang silid, siya po ay namamakuran, meron po siyang rehas at pintuan, ako naman ay malayang naglalakad, pero ang kanyang tanong ay 'bakit kaming dalawa ay nakakulong'. Magandang tanong 'yon eh.
Marahil tayo ay naglalakad, napakalawak. Pero marami sa atin ang nakakulong. We are not free. From what? I do not know. You might not be free from the sin that has been haunting you. You might not be free from the wounds of the past. You might not be free from anything. It's good to ask yourself - are you really free?
Mga minamahal kong mga kapatid, ang palatandaan ng pagiging malaya, ay hindi sa lawak ng lugar na pwedeng lakaran. Kung hindi mo kayang mag-decide nang mag-isa, ibig sabihin, hindi ka malaya. Kung ikaw ay hindi makalabas ng bahay nang wala ang cellphone mo (laughs), hindi ka malaya. Nakalulungkot, ikaw ang bumili ng iyong cellphone, pero ikaw ang alipin ng iyong binili. Kung ikaw ay kumikilos ayon sa sasabihin ng iba, maliwanag na hindi ka malaya. Kung ikaw ay gumagawa ng tama dala ng iyong pagkatakot, ibig sabihin hindi ka malaya. Ang tunay na palatandaan ng malaya ay ginagawa ang tama kahit na siya ay nag-iisa, kahit siya ay tinutuligsa, at kahit walang naniniwala sa kanya. We need to be independent so that we can live in the world around us, interdependently. Look at the dynamics - dependent, independent, interdependent. What is important is for you to reach the level of independence, because if you do not reach the level of independence, you will end up living with others as co-dependent, which means you don't have the capacity to live freely by yourself. Hindi n'yo kayang mag-decide. Alam na alam po n'yo 'yan.
Subukan n'yo kung gaano kayo kalaya. Sa inyong pamilya, sasabihin ninyo, ngayon ay Independence Day, holiday, kayo ay kumain sa labas. Ang tanong - saan? Kahit saan. Kailan? Kahit kailan. Ano'ng kakainin natin? Kahit ano. (laughs) Sino'ng kasama natin? Kahit sino. Hindi po nito ibig sabihin na malaya kayo. Ibig sabihin no'n, wala kayong sariling isip. (laughs) Eh kung baligtarin naman natin. Sasabihin ninyo, tayo'y lumabas ngayon. Ang sasabihin ng inyong pamilya, huwag ngayon. Tayo'y pumunta sa Greenbelt. Huwag diyan. Doon tayo kumain sa McDonald's. Huwag diyan. Kasama natin sila Tito. Huwag sila. 'Yan, mga minamahal ng kapatid, ang palatandaan ng mga taong hindi malaya.....
Today, we are celebrating Independence Day. And the simple dynamics is that we begin with dependence, independence and interdependence. Dependence is when, as a little child, we grow dependent to the family to teach us how to live life, how to survive, and most of all, to know what is right or wrong. Independence is not the capacity to do anything you want. Independence is the capacity to exercise responsible freedom. When you talk about responsible freedom, it is the ability to avoid evil and to do good, as a decision from within, and not simply being dictated by someone outside of you.
Now if you ask yourself, "Am I an independent person?", you can answer it in your own way. In the way you make choices, in the way you decide. This will tell you whether you are really independent. Pag hindi n'yo kayang mag-decide na mag-isa para sa isang tamang bagay, ibig sabihin, hindi kayo malaya. Ang isang kalayaan ay hindi lamang kaya mong gawin ang mga bagay na gusto mong gawin, kundi ay kaya mong gawin ang tama, ayon sa kautusan, ayon sa batas, dahil walang sinumang nagdidikta sa iyo.
The difference, my brothers and sisters, is that some people tend to believe that they are independent. The moment you gain independence from the external, there is clear indication that you are not really independent. Kapag sinabing ikaw ay malaya, ang tanong do'n eh, 'sino po ang may sabing ako ay malaya'?
Ito ang magandang halimbawa. Minsan, dinala ko 'yong mga seminarista diyan po sa Mandaluyong, ano po. Dati ang tawag diyan ay mental hospital. Pinapasyal ko do'n ang mga seminarista para malaman namin kung sino sa amin ang mga may sayad, ano po (laughs) at sino ang may kakilala doon. At habang naglalakad kami nang ganyan, pinapaliwanag ng doktor kung ano ang mga sakit ng mga pasyente, habang ang mga seminarista ay nag-aayos pagkatapos ng aming pamamasyal, ipinasyal po ako ng doktor doon sa mga lugar na hindi pwedeng pasyalan. Bakit? Delikado. Ito ay kung saan ang mga pasyente ay nakakulong kasi violente.
At habang kami po ay naglalakad, 'yong isa pong nakakulong doon sabi niya, "Psst." Alam n'yo naman po tayong mga Pilipino, lumilingon kapag may sumutsot sa atin, ano po. Sabi po ng pasyente sa amin, "Bakit kayong dalawa nakakulong?" (laughs) Ako naman eh nag-isip ano. Ito naman pong doktor na kasama ko, maybe it is a habit, ang sabi'y, "Bakit mo naman nasabing kami'y nakakulong?" Ang sabi ng pasyente, "Eh kasi nasa likod kayo ng rehas."
Di ko naisip - kasi ang pagitan nga naman naming dalawa ay rehas lang, di po ba? Rehas lang. It dawned on me - what really makes you free? Does it mean that if you are given a place to move around, you are free? Maganda pong pagtuunan ng pansin 'yon. Maaaring ang pasyente po ay nasa isang silid, siya po ay namamakuran, meron po siyang rehas at pintuan, ako naman ay malayang naglalakad, pero ang kanyang tanong ay 'bakit kaming dalawa ay nakakulong'. Magandang tanong 'yon eh.
Marahil tayo ay naglalakad, napakalawak. Pero marami sa atin ang nakakulong. We are not free. From what? I do not know. You might not be free from the sin that has been haunting you. You might not be free from the wounds of the past. You might not be free from anything. It's good to ask yourself - are you really free?
Mga minamahal kong mga kapatid, ang palatandaan ng pagiging malaya, ay hindi sa lawak ng lugar na pwedeng lakaran. Kung hindi mo kayang mag-decide nang mag-isa, ibig sabihin, hindi ka malaya. Kung ikaw ay hindi makalabas ng bahay nang wala ang cellphone mo (laughs), hindi ka malaya. Nakalulungkot, ikaw ang bumili ng iyong cellphone, pero ikaw ang alipin ng iyong binili. Kung ikaw ay kumikilos ayon sa sasabihin ng iba, maliwanag na hindi ka malaya. Kung ikaw ay gumagawa ng tama dala ng iyong pagkatakot, ibig sabihin hindi ka malaya. Ang tunay na palatandaan ng malaya ay ginagawa ang tama kahit na siya ay nag-iisa, kahit siya ay tinutuligsa, at kahit walang naniniwala sa kanya. We need to be independent so that we can live in the world around us, interdependently. Look at the dynamics - dependent, independent, interdependent. What is important is for you to reach the level of independence, because if you do not reach the level of independence, you will end up living with others as co-dependent, which means you don't have the capacity to live freely by yourself. Hindi n'yo kayang mag-decide. Alam na alam po n'yo 'yan.
Subukan n'yo kung gaano kayo kalaya. Sa inyong pamilya, sasabihin ninyo, ngayon ay Independence Day, holiday, kayo ay kumain sa labas. Ang tanong - saan? Kahit saan. Kailan? Kahit kailan. Ano'ng kakainin natin? Kahit ano. (laughs) Sino'ng kasama natin? Kahit sino. Hindi po nito ibig sabihin na malaya kayo. Ibig sabihin no'n, wala kayong sariling isip. (laughs) Eh kung baligtarin naman natin. Sasabihin ninyo, tayo'y lumabas ngayon. Ang sasabihin ng inyong pamilya, huwag ngayon. Tayo'y pumunta sa Greenbelt. Huwag diyan. Doon tayo kumain sa McDonald's. Huwag diyan. Kasama natin sila Tito. Huwag sila. 'Yan, mga minamahal ng kapatid, ang palatandaan ng mga taong hindi malaya.....
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