February 20, 2013
Wednesday – Year of Faith – Lenten Season
by Rev. Fr. Mario Sobrejuanite, Society of St. Paul
6:00PM Mass at Megamall, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord
The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD’s bidding. Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,” when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes. Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh, by decree of the king and his nobles: “Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water. Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; every man shall turn from his evil way and from the violence he has in hand. Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish.” When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.
When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes. Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh, by decree of the king and his nobles: “Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water. Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; every man shall turn from his evil way and from the violence he has in hand. Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish.” When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.
R. (19b) A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”
At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”
HOMILY
Sobra po akong nairita noong ini-report po sa akin ang komentaryo ng isang pinuno ng isang bagong relihiyon na inumpisahan sa Davao. Ito po ang kanyang comment sa nangyaring pag-resign ng ating Santo Papang Benedict XVI. Sabi niya, "O, ayan. Nagre-renounce na 'yong inyong Papa. Eh bakit na-andiyan pa kayo?"
Ito po ay nagpapamalas ng isang kababawan sa pag-unawa sa kadakilaang ginawa ng isang Santo Papang katulad ni Benedict XVI. Hindi po siya nagre-resign nang basta basta na lang. Nagre-resign siya sapagkat pagkatapos suriin ang kanyang sarili at suriin din ang situwasyon at ang demands ng ating simbahan ngayon, nagdesisyon siya na if his role is to govern, sanctify and teach the people of God, ngayon, dahil sa kanyang katandaan at dahil sa kanyang kahinaan, ay hindi na niya kayang gampanan ang ganoon, ang kanyang pinangakong gampanan.
And so, katulad ng isang German na Benedict XVI, he must have told himself, "This is not just a question of reigning." Andiyan ka, nasa tuktok ka ng kapangyarihan, hawak mo na lahat. But it is a question of effectively governing. Iba 'yon.
Samantalang 'yong iba, basta nandiyan ka sa tuktok, wala kang kahihiyan, kahit wala kang karapatan, hindi talaga matanggal ang iyong pagkakahawak - ano'ng tawag do'n - kapit tuko, this message is a resounding message to say, "Hoy, hindi gano'n." You are there to effectively govern. And if you cannot handle that anymore, let it go. And let someone else who can do the job better, do it for you.
For which reason, we have to salute the Pope. Sapagkat sa isang taong binigyan ng kapangyarihan, hawak na niya, he is willing to let go, and to simply fade into the picture, so that someone else can do the job more effectively, than he can now.
Si Jonas ay isang propheta. And I will tell you of four signs of a true prophet. Apat - bibigyan ko kayo, para pag nalaman n'yo sasabihin ninyo, "Ah, ito siguro ay talagang magaling na pinuno, lider ng relihiyon ito, tunay na religious leader."
Number one. Ang tunay na propheta ng Diyos, unang una ay alam niyang wala siyang karapatan. Hindi siya ang pinakamagaling. At kung pinili siya ay sapagkat siya lamang ay pinagti-tiyagaan ng Panginoon.
Ang amin pong founder (referring to Blessed Giacomo Alberione, founder of the Society of St. Paul), isang dakilang tao at isang blessed na rin ng simbahan, when he was asked, "Write about yourself." Pagkatapos mong gawin ang lahat ng ito, ano'ng masasabi mo sa sarili mo? Ano'ng sinabi niya? "I was just a brush in the hand of the Great Painter. I was just a pen in the hand of the Great Writer." Hindi ako - instrumento lang ako. Ginamit ako ng Panginoon. At alam kong wala akong karapatan. I am unworthy. At kung si Lord ay nakahanap ng mas unworthy pa kaysa sa akin, 'yon ang pinili Niya."
And so a true prophet does not feel good about himself. Alam niyang wala siyang karapatan. Hindi siya 'yong namamayagpag, hindi niya bini-build up ang sarili niya. Hindi katulad ng iba - napakarami na sa kasaysayan ng simbahan ang ganoon - na ang feeling nila na kung wala sila, matutumba ang simbahan. Ito po ang masasabi ko sa inyo. Bago kayo, nandiyan na po ang simbahan. At pag-alis n'yo, nandiyan pa rin ang simbahan. In short, all of us are not indispensable, in the salvation of people. Only God is indispensable.
Kaya mga kapatid, dito po kami natutuwa kay Cardinal Chito Tagle. Maraming nagsasabi na, "Wow, 'yan na ngayon ang posibleng maging Santo Papa." Obvious na pet siya ni Benedict XVI. Pero pag tinanong mo ngayon si Cardinal, katulad ng kinukuwento ngayon ni Monsignor Bong Lo, sabi niya, kahapon ay binulungan niya si Cardinal. "Cardinal, eh meron pong French na pari dito na sinabing kausapin ko na daw po kayo ngayon, kasi baka pag-alis mo, eh hindi ka na makakabalik na hindi ka Santo Papa." Ang sagot ni Cardinal, "Sabihin mo sa paring French na kung ganyan ang mga salita niya, demonyo ang nagsasabi sa kanya." (laughs)
Mas maganda itong si Mrs. Salvador na presidente ng Sandigan, isang religious group. Pagkatapos ma-announce na magre-resign si Benedict XVI, pumunta siya kaagad kay Cardinal Chito Tagle. Sabi niya, "Your Eminence, talagang nagkaroon ako ng vision. Nakita kong nakadamit ka nang Santo Papa. Talagang ikaw ang magiging bagong Santo Papa." Ang sagot ni Cardinal Tagle, "Mrs. Salvador, hindi ho vision 'yon. Nightmare 'yon." (laughs) Ang ibig sabihin ni Cardinal ay wala siyang karapatan diyan. And many times, these are the people that the Lord will choose because they recognize, wala silang karapatan. It's God who chooses whom He wants.
Second, alam ng isang tunay na propheta na kapag sila'y pinili, ang success ng kanilang ginagampanan ay hindi pa rin nakadepende sa kanila. In fact, ito ay nakadepende pa rin sa biyaya ng Panginoon na sa kanila ay ibinibigay. Alam nila na sila ay props lang. Na ang tunay na bida sa eksena ay ang Panginoon. In fact, they also understand that their business is not to be successful. They know that. Their business is to be faithful. Hindi mahalaga ang sasabihin ng iba. Ang mahalaga ay tapat siya sa Panginoon, bilang isang alagad.
And this brings us to the third sign of a true prophet. And what is that? A true prophet suffers. Why? Because you are there to make a difference in the lives of people. You are like a light introduced into darkness. And those in there who are doing things in the darkness, will not want to bring in the light. Ang reaksiyon nila sa ilaw - hipan ito. Patayin n'yo. Why? Because they do not want to see the ugliness of what they are doing.
A true prophet is salt of the earth, because he is supposed to make the difference. And others will tell you, the one who brings in the truth to a world of lies, will not be popular at all. They will persecute you. And like your master, they may even crucify you. That is why a beautiful sign of a true prophet is when he suffers. Alam n'yo mga kapatid, sabi nga nila, when a prophet is making it so good, that he has everything and enjoys it, magduda na kayo kung 'yan ay tunay na propheta. The true prophet is one who suffers because he stands for the truth, so that we can receive the light in a dark world.
The fourth sign is this. A true prophet does not seek the pleasure of men, or to please man. His one joy is that he pleases God. Kaya paulit-ulit ko pong sinasabi ito. Sabi ni Bishop Bacani sa aming mga pari, we are supposed to be mouthpieces of God. "Sana pagpunta n'yo at kayo'y biglang napalakpakan ng mga taong kausap n'yo, pag-uwi n'yo, kausapin n'yo si Lord. Lord, kanina pumapalakpak sila. Pumapalakpak Ka rin ba?" Sapagkat ang pinagsisilbihan mo'y Diyos, at hindi lamang upang ika'y makakuha ng papuri ng mga tao. At kung ganoon ang inaasahan mo, sasagutin ka ni Kristo. "You have been repaid. Bayad ka na, sapagkat wala ka nang makukuhang pagpapala."
My dear friends, my brothers and sisters, we are anticipating the coming of a new Pope. But we are truly, truly joyful that Pope Benedict XVI makes one final act to tell the world that one's position is not important. Ang mahalaga ay kung nagagampanan mo ito nang tama. Eh German 'yan. They are very functional. And if they could not function anymore, it's so easy for them to let go of the position. Although kinukwento ko nga na noong marinig kong si Benedict XVI ay magre-resign na, kinabahan ako. Sabi ko, "Lord, please. Huwag muna. Hindi pa ako handa." (laughs)
Alam n'yo po ang Santo Papa, kapag 'yan ay napili na ng kanyang mga kapatid na cardinal, alam n'yo, three-fourths vote 'yon ha. Hindi basta-basta 50 plus 1, hindi. Three-fourths ang dapat abutin mo. It is a convincing declaration to say na ikaw na ang kanilang napusuan.
At hindi ho madali 'yon. Kasi po paisa-isa lalapit sila sa isang napakalaking chalice na kung saan ay may nakalagay sa itaas na silver plate na ang tawag nila ay paten, at lahat sila ay itataas ang boto nila. "Sa harapan ng aking Diyos, at ayon sa aking tunay na paniniwala, ito po ang dapat maging bagong Santo Papa." Hindi na po babanggitin ang pangalan, secret balloting 'yon. Pagkatapos ay ilalagay niya po 'yon sa itaas ng paten at ihuhulog niya 'yon doon sa chalice.
Bibilangin po paisa-isa 'yon. At kapag napili ka, at three-fourths ang botong iyong nakuha, hindi ka automatic na ibe-bless bilang Santo Papa. Tatanungin ka muna, "Tinatanggap mo ba?" At kung na-shock ka at nabigla, pagbibigyan ka naman ng mga cardinal. "O sige, pumasok ka muna do'n sa 'crying room'." Meron talaga noon. (laughs) Napasok ko na 'yon. Do'n pwede kang magwala, "Lord, bakit ako?" (laughs) Bahala ka kung ano'ng gagawin mo roon. (laughs)
Tapos paglabas mo, ayun, kakausapin ka uli ng 'camerlengo' o ng chamberlian na siyang IC or in-charge ng mga cardinal. Ang mga cardinal na 80 and above po ay hindi na po pwedeng pumasok doon. Kaya sa atin dito sa Pilipinas, iisa lang po ang ating Cardinal na pwedeng pumasok doon, si Cardinal Tagle lang, dahil po ang ating si Cardinal Vidal at Cardinal Rosales ay hindi na eligible at hindi na rin makakaboto.
Kapag tinanong ka kung tinatanggap mo, at sinabi mong "Tinatanggap ko na", pagkatapos noon ay tatanungin ka kung ano ang pangalan na kukunin mo. Kung ako talaga ang mapili ninyo (laughs), may pangalan na 'ko. Marius the First. (more laughs)
Pagkatapos noon, ang gagawin mo ay tatanggalin mo ang iyong skullcap na pula. Ipapatong mo ito sa ulo ng cardinal na kaharap mo, at lalagyan ka ng panibagong skullcap. This time, puti na. At ang lahat ng mga cardinal, paisa-isa, lalapit sa iyo at hahalikan ang singsing mo, para sabihing tunay na ikaw na ang bagong Pedro. Gano'n po 'yon.
Pagkatapos 'yong mga boto nila, tutuhugin 'yon paisa-isa. Tapos ilalagay 'yon sa sunugan. Dati, nilalagyan nila 'yon ng dayaming basa. Ang ibig sabihin hindi pa naboboto ang bagong Santo Papa. Pero kapag may napili na, lalagyan 'yon ng dayaming tuyo para puti na ang usok na lumabas. Pero ngayon, nagkakaiba na ng kulay, kaya nilalagyan na ng chemical, para siguradong puti ang usok na lumabas. At ang ibig sabihin ay mayroon nang bagong Papa.
Pagkatapos, bibihisan ka na. At pagkatapos ay lalabas ka. At ang 'camerlengo' o chamberlain ay mag-a-announce na. "Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam!" I bring you good news. We have a new Pope. Meron na tayong bagong Papa. Tapos ay sasabihin ang pangalan ng Santo Papa. Tapos lalabas ka, at kakaway ka sa mga tao. Kaya tatlong araw na ako nagpapa-praktis (laughs)....just in case....
Isa lang ang alam ko. May topak ang magnanais maging Santo Papa. (laughs) Mga kapatid, ipagdasal natin si Cardinal Tagle. Ako, hindi ko lang alam, but I have a gut feeling. He may become the next Pope. Ipagdasal natin. We pray that whoever is chosen may truly have the heart of a shepherd, with the love of God in His heart, and love for his people. Amen.
