September 22, 2013
Feats of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
by
Rev. Fr. Gilbert Dumlao (Parish Priest, St. Joseph the Worker Parish,
Balintawak, Quezon City)
6:00PM Sunday Anticipated Mass, Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel (Greenbelt Chapel), Makati
6:00PM Sunday Anticipated Mass, Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel (Greenbelt Chapel), Makati
Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the
poor of the land! “When will the new moon be over,” you ask, “that we may sell
our grain, and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat? We will diminish the
ephah, add to the shekel, and fix our scales for cheating! We will buy the
lowly for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals; even the refuse of the
wheat we will sell!” The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Never will I
forget a thing they have done!
R. (cf. 1a, 7b) Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
to seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
to seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Beloved:
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as ransom for all. This was the testimony at the proper time. For this I was appointed preacher and apostle — I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —, teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as ransom for all. This was the testimony at the proper time. For this I was appointed preacher and apostle — I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —, teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
Gospel Lk
16:1-13
Jesus
said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering
his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What
is this I hear about you? Prepare a full
account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’ The
steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position
of steward away from me? I am not strong
enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I
know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may
welcome me into their homes.’ He called in his master’s debtors one by
one. To the first he said, ‘How much do
you owe my master?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to
him, ‘Here is your promissory note. Sit
down and quickly write one for fifty.’ Then to another the steward said, ‘And
you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’ The steward
said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.’ And the
master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. “For the children
of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are
the children of light. I tell you, make
friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will
be welcomed into eternal dwellings. The person who is trustworthy in very small
matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in
very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with
dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs
to another, who will give you what is yours?
No servant can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and
despise the other. You cannot serve both
God and mammon.”
HOMILY
Good
evening, my dear brothers and sisters.
The theme assigned to me is humility, in the mind of our saint, Padre Pio. While I was reading some of his works, one sentence came into mind and struck me. It says, "Humility is abjection; abjection is humility." What does 'abjection' mean? Tiningnan ko po ang meaning ng 'abjection', and it states that 'abjection' is the 'state of downfall or disgrace'. Iniisip ko rin po kanina kung ano ang pakiramdaman ng 'abjection'. Sa pagpunta ko po dito ay may ipinakita at ipinaramdam sa akin ang Diyos. Sumakay po ako sa kotse, pinag-drive po ako ng aking kapatid dahil siya po ay taga-Makati. Sa Balintawak pa lang po, traffic na. Sabi ng kapatid ko, 'Sumakay ka na lang ng MRT, Kuya'. Sumakay ako ng MRT. Pagsakay ko ng MRT, tinulak ako palabas dahil sa taba ko. (laughs) Pero nakapasok po ako ng MRT. Pero pag-andar po ng MRT ay tumigil dahil nasira daw ang MRT. (laughs) At tumatawag na po ang aking kapitbahay na si Tita Reggie (member of the Greenbelt Lectors' and Commentators' Ministry), dahil napapahiya na siya. Ako rin po ay hiyang-hiya na. Umandar din po ang MRT, at pagbaba ng MRT, ang lakas ng ulan. Kaya kanina po, pagpasok ko dito sa Chapel, para po akong walang mukha. Gusto ko po sabihing, 'Di po ako ang magmimisa. Ka-double ko lang po 'yon'. (laughs) There is that feeling of shame, of being weak, of being small in the eyes of others. Abjection.
There are three words that I would like to impart to you, dear friends, as I journey with you in reflecting on the life of this great contemporary saint, Padre Pio. First is honesty, second is holiness, third is heart.
If you want to be humble, you need to be honest. Ang 'humility' ay hindi lamang po 'yong pagpapatirapa natin, kundi ang alam natin kung ano ang mabuti sa atin at 'yong masama. Tanggapin mo ang katotohanan, kung sino ka. Tanggapin mo na ikaw ay mabuti, pero tanggapin mo din na ikaw ay may nagawang masama. Hindi tayo pwedeng maging mapagpakumbaba, kundi natin aaminin sa Diyos na minsan, matigas din ang puso natin. We need to be honest. We need to realize our gifts, and at the same time, improve on our weaknesses.
Minsan, pag may nagsabi sa iyo na ang ganda-ganda mo, ano ang kadalasan nating sinasabi? 'Hindi naman, slight lang.' Pag may nagsabi sa iyo, 'Wow, ang tali-talino mo'. 'Hindi...nangopya lang ako'. (laughs) If people tell us good things, we should thank the Lord for that. And as we accept, we gain confidence, not to belittle others, but to improve. This is the best explanation of humility.
Baka ang akala po natin, ang humility ay 'yong wala ka na talaga. Oo....makikita nating maliit ang sarili natin. But we need to face these weaknesses. And in order to face these weaknesses, we must have a great heart. May puso ka dapat. Pag may puso ka, you have that strong will. Oo, alam mong masama ang ginawa mo, pero huwag ka namang manatili doon sa kasamaan. Bumawi ka. Like in the Gospel, if there are times you have done an untrustworthy thing, gumawa ka ng paraan to do trustworthy things, ng mga mabubuting bagay. Ang problema sa atin, gumagawa tayo lagi ng lusot sa masama, pero hindi tayo gumagawa ng paraan para sa tama. Kaya tayong lahat ay tinatamaan. Ang lakas ng tama. (laughs)
Take care of the goodness that is in you. Yes, we have sinned, but we should have heart to admit that we made a mistake. Oo, Lord, nagkamali ako, pero babangon ako at babawiin ko ang lakas Mo. When we become honest with the mistakes that we have, and we have a heart to change, then we will go back to the road called holiness. Because holiness is talking to God. Holiness is following God.
Akala natin, ang kabanalan ay isang malayong-malayo o malaking pagbabago. Totoo po iyon. Pero ang tinuturo po sa ating kabanalan ay ang magbalik ka at bumaba doon sa pinanggalingan mo. It is within us. Ito po 'yong maganda dito. Pag naging banal ka pala, hindi ka lang basta-basta magbabago sa sarili mo. Bumabalik ka lang. Bumabalik ka lang sa totoong ikaw. Bumalik ka dahil banal ka. Minsan lang talaga, mas masarap ang gumawa ng masama, pero hindi ito ang magbibigay sa iyo ng walang hanggang ligaya. And Padre Pio did this.
But doing good is not easy. Lalo na sa mundo natin ngayon. Sino dito ang nagsasabing hindi masarap ang kasalanan? Taas ang kanang kamay. Sino naman dito ang nagsasabing masarap ang kasalanan? Taas ang kanang kamay. (laughs) Sino dito ang walang kanang kamay? (more laughs) Masarap po ba ang kasalanan o hindi? (silence) Sinungaling. (laughs) Masarap ang kasalanan. Bigyan mo nga ako ng kasalanan, sige nga kuya (Father approaches one of the ministers of Holy Communion, while people laugh) Pakiki-apid. Masarap ang maki-apid. Aba malay ko, hindi ko naman nararanasan 'yon. (laughs) Masarap ang pakiramdam na meron kang naloloko. Ano pa ang kasalanan mo? Pagnanakaw ng sampung bilyon, masarap o hindi? Masarap. Kung bigyan kita ng 10 million ngayon, sasabihin mo bang 'ayoko'? Masarap 'yan....sa umpisa..... Sa umpisa lang.
O, kabutihan naman. Masarap o hindi? Masarap din. Pero sa umpisa, nakakatamad. 'Yong pagsisimba tuwing Linggo? Papatawarin ko 'yong Nanay ko, kakausapin ko ang kapatid ko? Ano ka, hilo? Siya nga ang nagkamali, eh. Bibigyan ko na naman siya, eh nangutang na siya sa akin? Hindi pa nga niya binabayaran ang utang niya?....Wala po akong pinatatamaan....(laughs) General example lang po ito, general.....Magmamano pa ba ako sa Uncle ko, na siniraan at inagawan ng lupa ang Tatay ko? Masakit, sa umpisa. Hindi madali. Nasaktan si Padre Pio sa umpisa. But dear friends, we need this challenge, because this is not only the path of Padre Pio, but this is the path of Jesus.
Oo, mahirap, nakakatamad, bad trip, boring, corny. Pero kinalaunan pag ito ay nagawa mo, mararanasan mo ang walang hanggang ligaya. Yes, in the beginning there is sacrifice, but humility will bring us to holiness and everlasting happiness. It is being with Jesus. Therefore, no matter what we face later on in our life, we will face it head on, because we know that we can take it. Kahit na maraming masama, kahit na maraming nagdududa, kahit na maraming nagmamaliit sa inyo, sa Kanya, malaki ka pa rin. Sa Kanya, pinipili ka pa rin. Sa Kanya, ikaw pa rin. Ilang beses na, na hindi ang Panginoon ang pinili mo? Ilang beses na, na kung saan akala natin ay wala si Kristo?
My dear friends, whenever we find it hard to be humble, whenever we find it hard to be honest, to have a heart for others, just face our Lord. And He will say to you, "Ako...totoo Ako sa iyo. Ibinigay Ko ang lahat sa iyo. Hindi lang puso, buong buhay Ko. At kung akala mo hindi Kita kasama, halika na, nang maramdaman mo ang ligayang dulot ng kabutihan'. This is when the word 'abjection' becomes a word of salvation to each and everyone of us. We fall, we bow down, not to belittle others, so that Jesus can bring us up, and we can face others and give them what is due.
Sometimes, it will be hard. But in order for us to experience true happiness, we need to experience the Cross. We need to be humble. We have our own weaknesses, we have our wounds to carry. But be honest. Have a heart. Be holy. Be with Jesus. Amen.
The theme assigned to me is humility, in the mind of our saint, Padre Pio. While I was reading some of his works, one sentence came into mind and struck me. It says, "Humility is abjection; abjection is humility." What does 'abjection' mean? Tiningnan ko po ang meaning ng 'abjection', and it states that 'abjection' is the 'state of downfall or disgrace'. Iniisip ko rin po kanina kung ano ang pakiramdaman ng 'abjection'. Sa pagpunta ko po dito ay may ipinakita at ipinaramdam sa akin ang Diyos. Sumakay po ako sa kotse, pinag-drive po ako ng aking kapatid dahil siya po ay taga-Makati. Sa Balintawak pa lang po, traffic na. Sabi ng kapatid ko, 'Sumakay ka na lang ng MRT, Kuya'. Sumakay ako ng MRT. Pagsakay ko ng MRT, tinulak ako palabas dahil sa taba ko. (laughs) Pero nakapasok po ako ng MRT. Pero pag-andar po ng MRT ay tumigil dahil nasira daw ang MRT. (laughs) At tumatawag na po ang aking kapitbahay na si Tita Reggie (member of the Greenbelt Lectors' and Commentators' Ministry), dahil napapahiya na siya. Ako rin po ay hiyang-hiya na. Umandar din po ang MRT, at pagbaba ng MRT, ang lakas ng ulan. Kaya kanina po, pagpasok ko dito sa Chapel, para po akong walang mukha. Gusto ko po sabihing, 'Di po ako ang magmimisa. Ka-double ko lang po 'yon'. (laughs) There is that feeling of shame, of being weak, of being small in the eyes of others. Abjection.
There are three words that I would like to impart to you, dear friends, as I journey with you in reflecting on the life of this great contemporary saint, Padre Pio. First is honesty, second is holiness, third is heart.
If you want to be humble, you need to be honest. Ang 'humility' ay hindi lamang po 'yong pagpapatirapa natin, kundi ang alam natin kung ano ang mabuti sa atin at 'yong masama. Tanggapin mo ang katotohanan, kung sino ka. Tanggapin mo na ikaw ay mabuti, pero tanggapin mo din na ikaw ay may nagawang masama. Hindi tayo pwedeng maging mapagpakumbaba, kundi natin aaminin sa Diyos na minsan, matigas din ang puso natin. We need to be honest. We need to realize our gifts, and at the same time, improve on our weaknesses.
Minsan, pag may nagsabi sa iyo na ang ganda-ganda mo, ano ang kadalasan nating sinasabi? 'Hindi naman, slight lang.' Pag may nagsabi sa iyo, 'Wow, ang tali-talino mo'. 'Hindi...nangopya lang ako'. (laughs) If people tell us good things, we should thank the Lord for that. And as we accept, we gain confidence, not to belittle others, but to improve. This is the best explanation of humility.
Baka ang akala po natin, ang humility ay 'yong wala ka na talaga. Oo....makikita nating maliit ang sarili natin. But we need to face these weaknesses. And in order to face these weaknesses, we must have a great heart. May puso ka dapat. Pag may puso ka, you have that strong will. Oo, alam mong masama ang ginawa mo, pero huwag ka namang manatili doon sa kasamaan. Bumawi ka. Like in the Gospel, if there are times you have done an untrustworthy thing, gumawa ka ng paraan to do trustworthy things, ng mga mabubuting bagay. Ang problema sa atin, gumagawa tayo lagi ng lusot sa masama, pero hindi tayo gumagawa ng paraan para sa tama. Kaya tayong lahat ay tinatamaan. Ang lakas ng tama. (laughs)
Take care of the goodness that is in you. Yes, we have sinned, but we should have heart to admit that we made a mistake. Oo, Lord, nagkamali ako, pero babangon ako at babawiin ko ang lakas Mo. When we become honest with the mistakes that we have, and we have a heart to change, then we will go back to the road called holiness. Because holiness is talking to God. Holiness is following God.
Akala natin, ang kabanalan ay isang malayong-malayo o malaking pagbabago. Totoo po iyon. Pero ang tinuturo po sa ating kabanalan ay ang magbalik ka at bumaba doon sa pinanggalingan mo. It is within us. Ito po 'yong maganda dito. Pag naging banal ka pala, hindi ka lang basta-basta magbabago sa sarili mo. Bumabalik ka lang. Bumabalik ka lang sa totoong ikaw. Bumalik ka dahil banal ka. Minsan lang talaga, mas masarap ang gumawa ng masama, pero hindi ito ang magbibigay sa iyo ng walang hanggang ligaya. And Padre Pio did this.
But doing good is not easy. Lalo na sa mundo natin ngayon. Sino dito ang nagsasabing hindi masarap ang kasalanan? Taas ang kanang kamay. Sino naman dito ang nagsasabing masarap ang kasalanan? Taas ang kanang kamay. (laughs) Sino dito ang walang kanang kamay? (more laughs) Masarap po ba ang kasalanan o hindi? (silence) Sinungaling. (laughs) Masarap ang kasalanan. Bigyan mo nga ako ng kasalanan, sige nga kuya (Father approaches one of the ministers of Holy Communion, while people laugh) Pakiki-apid. Masarap ang maki-apid. Aba malay ko, hindi ko naman nararanasan 'yon. (laughs) Masarap ang pakiramdam na meron kang naloloko. Ano pa ang kasalanan mo? Pagnanakaw ng sampung bilyon, masarap o hindi? Masarap. Kung bigyan kita ng 10 million ngayon, sasabihin mo bang 'ayoko'? Masarap 'yan....sa umpisa..... Sa umpisa lang.
O, kabutihan naman. Masarap o hindi? Masarap din. Pero sa umpisa, nakakatamad. 'Yong pagsisimba tuwing Linggo? Papatawarin ko 'yong Nanay ko, kakausapin ko ang kapatid ko? Ano ka, hilo? Siya nga ang nagkamali, eh. Bibigyan ko na naman siya, eh nangutang na siya sa akin? Hindi pa nga niya binabayaran ang utang niya?....Wala po akong pinatatamaan....(laughs) General example lang po ito, general.....Magmamano pa ba ako sa Uncle ko, na siniraan at inagawan ng lupa ang Tatay ko? Masakit, sa umpisa. Hindi madali. Nasaktan si Padre Pio sa umpisa. But dear friends, we need this challenge, because this is not only the path of Padre Pio, but this is the path of Jesus.
Oo, mahirap, nakakatamad, bad trip, boring, corny. Pero kinalaunan pag ito ay nagawa mo, mararanasan mo ang walang hanggang ligaya. Yes, in the beginning there is sacrifice, but humility will bring us to holiness and everlasting happiness. It is being with Jesus. Therefore, no matter what we face later on in our life, we will face it head on, because we know that we can take it. Kahit na maraming masama, kahit na maraming nagdududa, kahit na maraming nagmamaliit sa inyo, sa Kanya, malaki ka pa rin. Sa Kanya, pinipili ka pa rin. Sa Kanya, ikaw pa rin. Ilang beses na, na hindi ang Panginoon ang pinili mo? Ilang beses na, na kung saan akala natin ay wala si Kristo?
My dear friends, whenever we find it hard to be humble, whenever we find it hard to be honest, to have a heart for others, just face our Lord. And He will say to you, "Ako...totoo Ako sa iyo. Ibinigay Ko ang lahat sa iyo. Hindi lang puso, buong buhay Ko. At kung akala mo hindi Kita kasama, halika na, nang maramdaman mo ang ligayang dulot ng kabutihan'. This is when the word 'abjection' becomes a word of salvation to each and everyone of us. We fall, we bow down, not to belittle others, so that Jesus can bring us up, and we can face others and give them what is due.
Sometimes, it will be hard. But in order for us to experience true happiness, we need to experience the Cross. We need to be humble. We have our own weaknesses, we have our wounds to carry. But be honest. Have a heart. Be holy. Be with Jesus. Amen.
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