May 24, 2013
Friday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time
Feast of Mary Help of Christians
by Rev. Fr. Benjamin “Benjo” Fajota (Vice Rector of the EDSA Shrine)
5:30PM Mass, Mary, Queen of Peace Shrine (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)
A kind mouth multiplies friends and appeases enemies, and gracious lips prompt friendly greetings. Let your acquaintances be many, but one in a thousand your confidant. When you gain a friend, first test him, and be not too ready to trust him. For one sort is a friend when it suits him, but he will not be with you in time of distress. Another is a friend who becomes an enemy, and tells of the quarrel to your shame. Another is a friend, a boon companion, who will not be with you when sorrow comes. When things go well, he is your other self, and lords it over your servants; But if you are brought low, he turns against you and avoids meeting you. Keep away from your enemies; be on your guard with your friends. A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure. A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth. A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, such as he who fears God finds; For he who fears God behaves accordingly, and his friend will be like himself.
R. (35a) Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
Blessed are you, O LORD;
teach me your statutes.
R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
In your statutes I will delight;
I will not forget your words.
R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
Open my eyes, that I may consider
the wonders of your law.
R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds.
R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
Give me discernment, that I may observe your law
and keep it with all my heart.
R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
Lead me in the path of your commands,
for in it I delight.
R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
Blessed are you, O LORD;
teach me your statutes.
R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
In your statutes I will delight;
I will not forget your words.
R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
Open my eyes, that I may consider
the wonders of your law.
R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds.
R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
Give me discernment, that I may observe your law
and keep it with all my heart.
R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
Lead me in the path of your commands,
for in it I delight.
R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
Gospel Mk10:1-12
Jesus came into the district of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds gathered around him and, as was his custom, he again taught them. The Pharisees approached him and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him.
He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” They replied, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” They replied, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
HOMILY
"Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment." Dahil sa katigasan ng inyong mga puso.....
Kadalasan ganito rin po tayo sa ating pananampalataya. Sinasabi nating tayo ay Katoliko, pero sinusunod lang natin kung ano 'yong convenient sa atin, kung ano 'yong palagay nating tama para sa atin. Pero hindi tayo nakikinig kung ano 'yong ating mga dapat na ginagawa, ang mga alituntunin natin para sa misa, para sa ating pananampalataya. Madalas, tayo ay nagmamatigas, dahil ito ang nakasanayan na, ito ang ating gustong gawin, kaya ito ang ating ipinipilit, kahit hindi tama, kahit baluktot. Kaya kadalasan ay nagagalit sila sa pari kapag nagtuturo ito, kapag iwinawasto ang pagkakamali.
Ngunit ito ang napakalinaw. Wala na sigurong mas lilinaw sa sinabi ni Hesus, "...because of the hardness of your hearts...." That is why Moses was forced to give this commandment of divorce.
Pero ano ang sinabi ni Hesus? "But from the beginning of creation, God made them man and woman...Whoever divorces a woman and marries another, commits adultery against her." Napakalinaw. Ano pa kayang language ang gusto natin para maintindihan natin, para maunawaan natin ang sinasabi ni Hesus? Hindi Siya payag sa diborsyo. Kung sino ang pinagsama ng Diyos, walang sinumang tao ang maaring maghiwalay nito. Kahit na ano pa po ang ibigay nating kadahilanan, hindi ito pinapayagan ng Diyos. Unless, of course, the impediments were already there before the marriage was conducted. Ibig sabihin, bago pa nagkasal ay talagang walang bisa na ang kasal. Doon nagkakaroon ng tinatawag na annulment. Ibig sabihin, sa simula't simula pa ay hindi na valid, o hindi na dapat ang kasal ng mag-asawa.
Kapag ako po ay nag-i-interview ng mga ikakasal, I would always ask the couple: Would you know the reason why couples separate? And then I tell them, according to surveys, the number one reason why couples separate is because of a third party. But then I will advise the couple to have a 'third party' in their relationship, and it is no other than God, of course. Couples think that their love for each other is enough to keep their marriage intact, to make their marriage strong and lasting. Nakakalimutan nila na kahit anuman ang ating itinatayo, gusali man ito o istraktura, o isang relationship, ang pinakamahalaga dito ay ang pundasyon. And the foundation of marriage is none other than the love of God. If we do not put God as a priority in our married life, and in whatever relationship we are in, kapag hindi ito binasbasan ng Diyos, ito ay hindi magtatagumpay. Kaya't ang kanilang sinusulong na same-sex relationship dahil marami nang gumagawa nito, ito ay hindi pagpapalain ng Diyos. Because this is not in accordance with the intention of God when he created man and woman.
Nakakalimutan na rin po siguro ng ating mga kapatid na mga kababaihan, that motherhood is the essence of a woman. Kaya nga ginawa kayo na may sinapupunan, para kayo ay magdalang-tao. Tao ang dinadala sa sinapupunan, hindi kung anong mass o dugo lang. (pause)
Kaya sana, huwag matigas ang ating mga puso kapag narinig natin ang Salita ng Diyos. Hindi lamang ito magandang pakinggan, hindi lamang ito dapat nating i-reflect kung ano ang nararapat, kundi dapat natin itong isinasabuhay. Wisdom comes from humility. The first step to gaining wisdom is humility. Kababaang-loob na tayo ay wala, kapag wala ang Diyos. Na kapag hindi natin sinunod ang Salita ng Diyos, hindi tayo magtatagumpay, hindi tayo magkakamit ng tunay na kaligayahan. Amen.
Kadalasan ganito rin po tayo sa ating pananampalataya. Sinasabi nating tayo ay Katoliko, pero sinusunod lang natin kung ano 'yong convenient sa atin, kung ano 'yong palagay nating tama para sa atin. Pero hindi tayo nakikinig kung ano 'yong ating mga dapat na ginagawa, ang mga alituntunin natin para sa misa, para sa ating pananampalataya. Madalas, tayo ay nagmamatigas, dahil ito ang nakasanayan na, ito ang ating gustong gawin, kaya ito ang ating ipinipilit, kahit hindi tama, kahit baluktot. Kaya kadalasan ay nagagalit sila sa pari kapag nagtuturo ito, kapag iwinawasto ang pagkakamali.
Ngunit ito ang napakalinaw. Wala na sigurong mas lilinaw sa sinabi ni Hesus, "...because of the hardness of your hearts...." That is why Moses was forced to give this commandment of divorce.
Pero ano ang sinabi ni Hesus? "But from the beginning of creation, God made them man and woman...Whoever divorces a woman and marries another, commits adultery against her." Napakalinaw. Ano pa kayang language ang gusto natin para maintindihan natin, para maunawaan natin ang sinasabi ni Hesus? Hindi Siya payag sa diborsyo. Kung sino ang pinagsama ng Diyos, walang sinumang tao ang maaring maghiwalay nito. Kahit na ano pa po ang ibigay nating kadahilanan, hindi ito pinapayagan ng Diyos. Unless, of course, the impediments were already there before the marriage was conducted. Ibig sabihin, bago pa nagkasal ay talagang walang bisa na ang kasal. Doon nagkakaroon ng tinatawag na annulment. Ibig sabihin, sa simula't simula pa ay hindi na valid, o hindi na dapat ang kasal ng mag-asawa.
Kapag ako po ay nag-i-interview ng mga ikakasal, I would always ask the couple: Would you know the reason why couples separate? And then I tell them, according to surveys, the number one reason why couples separate is because of a third party. But then I will advise the couple to have a 'third party' in their relationship, and it is no other than God, of course. Couples think that their love for each other is enough to keep their marriage intact, to make their marriage strong and lasting. Nakakalimutan nila na kahit anuman ang ating itinatayo, gusali man ito o istraktura, o isang relationship, ang pinakamahalaga dito ay ang pundasyon. And the foundation of marriage is none other than the love of God. If we do not put God as a priority in our married life, and in whatever relationship we are in, kapag hindi ito binasbasan ng Diyos, ito ay hindi magtatagumpay. Kaya't ang kanilang sinusulong na same-sex relationship dahil marami nang gumagawa nito, ito ay hindi pagpapalain ng Diyos. Because this is not in accordance with the intention of God when he created man and woman.
Nakakalimutan na rin po siguro ng ating mga kapatid na mga kababaihan, that motherhood is the essence of a woman. Kaya nga ginawa kayo na may sinapupunan, para kayo ay magdalang-tao. Tao ang dinadala sa sinapupunan, hindi kung anong mass o dugo lang. (pause)
Kaya sana, huwag matigas ang ating mga puso kapag narinig natin ang Salita ng Diyos. Hindi lamang ito magandang pakinggan, hindi lamang ito dapat nating i-reflect kung ano ang nararapat, kundi dapat natin itong isinasabuhay. Wisdom comes from humility. The first step to gaining wisdom is humility. Kababaang-loob na tayo ay wala, kapag wala ang Diyos. Na kapag hindi natin sinunod ang Salita ng Diyos, hindi tayo magtatagumpay, hindi tayo magkakamit ng tunay na kaligayahan. Amen.
