August 08, 2013
Thursday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time
Memorial of Saint Dominic,
Priest
by Rev. Fr. David "Dave" T.
Concepcion
(Spiritual Director, Holy Apostles Senior
Seminary, San Carlos Pastoral Formation Center, Guadalupe, Makati City)
5:30PM Mass, Mary, Queen of Peace Shrine (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)
5:30PM Mass, Mary, Queen of Peace Shrine (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)
The whole congregation of the children of Israel arrived in
the desert of Zin in the first month, and the people settled at Kadesh. It was
here that Miriam died, and here that she was buried.
As the community had no water, they held a council against Moses and Aaron. The people contended with Moses, exclaiming, “Would that we too had perished with our kinsmen in the LORD’s presence! Why have you brought the LORD’s assembly into this desert where we and our livestock are dying? Why did you lead us out of Egypt, only to bring us to this wretched place which has neither grain nor figs nor vines nor pomegranates? Here there is not even water to drink!” But Moses and Aaron went away from the assembly to the entrance of the meeting tent, where they fell prostrate.
Then the glory of the LORD appeared to them, and the LORD said to Moses, “Take your staff and assemble the community, you and your brother Aaron, and in their presence order the rock to yield its waters. From the rock you shall bring forth water for the congregation and their livestock to drink.” So Moses took his staff from its place before the LORD, as he was ordered. He and Aaron assembled the community in front of the rock, where he said to them, “Listen to me, you rebels! Are we to bring water for you out of this rock?” Then, raising his hand, Moses struck the rock twice with his staff, and water gushed out in abundance for the people and their livestock to drink. But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you were not faithful to me in showing forth my sanctity before the children of Israel, you shall not lead this community into the land I will give them.”
These are the waters of Meribah, where the children of Israel contended against the LORD, and where the LORD revealed his sanctity among them.
As the community had no water, they held a council against Moses and Aaron. The people contended with Moses, exclaiming, “Would that we too had perished with our kinsmen in the LORD’s presence! Why have you brought the LORD’s assembly into this desert where we and our livestock are dying? Why did you lead us out of Egypt, only to bring us to this wretched place which has neither grain nor figs nor vines nor pomegranates? Here there is not even water to drink!” But Moses and Aaron went away from the assembly to the entrance of the meeting tent, where they fell prostrate.
Then the glory of the LORD appeared to them, and the LORD said to Moses, “Take your staff and assemble the community, you and your brother Aaron, and in their presence order the rock to yield its waters. From the rock you shall bring forth water for the congregation and their livestock to drink.” So Moses took his staff from its place before the LORD, as he was ordered. He and Aaron assembled the community in front of the rock, where he said to them, “Listen to me, you rebels! Are we to bring water for you out of this rock?” Then, raising his hand, Moses struck the rock twice with his staff, and water gushed out in abundance for the people and their livestock to drink. But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you were not faithful to me in showing forth my sanctity before the children of Israel, you shall not lead this community into the land I will give them.”
These are the waters of Meribah, where the children of Israel contended against the LORD, and where the LORD revealed his sanctity among them.
R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your
hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tested me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tested me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Gospel Mt
16:13-23
Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked
his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some
say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the
prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in
reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in
reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not
revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are
Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the
netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the
Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and
whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly
ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
HOMILY
Before
reflecting on the Gospel, I would like to go back first to the First Reading,
because I think even some of you, if asked, why Moses was not allowed to enter
the promised land, some of you will answer, because he struck the rock twice.
The answer is no. Why? Because there was no instruction at the very beginning
that you will strike the rock twice. God said Moses will not enter. Why? God
said, "Because you were not faithful to Me in showing forth My sanctity
before the children of Israel...." God did not say 'you failed to obey My
instruction'. God was saying Moses was not faithful to Him in showing forth His
sanctity before the children of Israel. How? Because before striking the rock,
Moses uttered, "Listen to me, you rebels. Are we - take note...Are we
to bring water for you out of this rock?" Are we? It is one way of
saying that Moses is claiming that He is also part of the One allowing wonders
to come forth from the rock. Hindi siya kasali. He is not part of God. Moses
was God's spokesperson. Pero dinamay niya ang sarili niya sa pangalan ng Diyos.
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, it is good to ask ourselves. Do we really understand who we really are before God? Do we understand? The question is - "Who am I to you?" or "Who do you say that I am?" or "Sino ba Ako para sa iyo?" Because answering the question will determine our relationship to God. And if we know our relationship to God, then we will know our role.
Minsan, marami sa atin ang nagdadasal na para bagang sa iyong pagdarasal ay naintindihan mo talaga ang loob ng Diyos. Nagagalit ka sa Diyos kapag hindi binibigay sa iyo ng Diyos ang iyong mga panalangin. Kaya magandang itanong - sino ba ang Diyos para sa atin? "Sino ba Ako para sa iyo?"
Halimbawa, sa relasyon natin sa ating kapwa. Halimbawa, ako'y pari. Pag tayo'y lumalabas, sino ba ako sa inyo? 'Ikaw po'y pari.' Kaya huwag ninyo akong kakaladkarin. Nakuha po ninyo? Hindi po ako pwedeng pumunta sa kahit saang lugar na gusto ninyo akong pumunta. Sapagkat ako ay pari. Kuha ninyo? Ano pa? Ang mag-asawa. Kung ikaw ay misis o mister, aba'y umasal ka bilang may asawa. Dahil alam mong ikaw ay may asawa, hindi ka pwedeng mag-asal binata, kahit saan. Maliwanag po 'yon. Pag ikaw ay sumisigaw sa iyong magulang, ang tanong sa iyo ng iyong magulang, "Sino ba ako?" "Kayo po ang aking magulang." "Eh bakit mo ako sinisigawan?"
There must be clarity on our role in life, so that our relationship will be clear. Kapag ang isa ay hindi malinaw....Hindi malinaw sa mga anak kung sino ang magulang sa anak. Kapag may hinihingi ang anak sa magulang, kung makasigaw ang anak. If you know that they are your parents, then respect must be there. If it is clear to you that you are a husband or a wife, then faithfulness must be there. Hindi kayo kikilos dalaga o binata, kasi hindi ka na dalaga, at hindi ka na binata. Ako po ay pari, wala akong asawa, pero hindi ako binata. Hindi ako binata. I am not available. (laughs) Kasal ako sa simbahan. Nakuha po ninyo?
Kasi nagtatampo ang mga tao, 'Si Father, ang hirap imbitahin. Kakain lang naman, eh.' Aba'y kung pwede, bakit hindi? Tapos pag sama nang sama sa inyo ang pari, sasabihin n'yo, 'Kaladkarin 'yang si Father'. (laughs) Pag hindi sumama, ang sungit ni Father. Di ba? Mga minamahal kong mga kapatid, sa panahon ngayon, wala nang paring namatay sa gutom. (laughs) Madalang na nga kayong makakita ng paring payat, eh. (laughs) Di po ba? At karamihan ng sakit ng pari, kundi diabetes, alta presyon. Sobra sa kain. (laughs) Dahil may mga taong walang tigil ang pakain. (laughs) Lalong lalo na pag piyesta. 'Konti lang, Father, konti lang.' Feeling ba nila eh maraming bituka ang pari. (laughs) Kaya mahirap maging pari ngayon. Pag sumama sa babae, babaero. Pag lalaki ang kasama, bakla. (laughs) Pag sumama sa mga bata, pedophile siguro 'yan. (laughs) Sino ako sa inyo? Who am I to you?
Noong buhay pa po ang aking mga magulang, pag bumibisita ako sa bahay, syempre bago kumain, magdarasal. Sasabihin ng Tatay ko, 'Yong pari ang magbe-bless ng food'. Ang sagot ko doon eh, 'Yong Tatay po ng tahanan ang mangunguna sa pagdarasal'. Sasabihin ng Tatay ko, 'Eh, pari ka na, eh.' Ang sagot ko do'n eh, 'For you, I have become a priest, but with you, I remain a son'. Dapat malinaw ang relasyon. Because if the relationship is not clear, then we fail to play our role towards each other. Kaya sabi ni Cardinal sa kanyang Facebook, sa aming mga pari, 'Hindi ka artista, hindi ka singer, hindi ka contractor, pari ka. Magpaka-pari ka.' Tama naman ho 'yon.
Mga minamahal na mga kapatid, it's good to ask ourselves. Ako bilang magulang, bilang anak, bilang asawa, ginagampanan ko ba ang aking tungkulin? Kaya nga nakakalungkot ang tanong ng isa. Sabi niya, "Father, hanggang kailan ko ba susustentuhan ang aking matandang magulang?" Malungkot na tanong. Hindi ko sinagot kung kailan. Ang tanong ko ay, "Gaano mo sila kamahal?" Gaano mo sila kamahal? Sapagkat dapat malinaw sa inyo kung ano ang inyong relasyon sa kanila. At sana, ang relasyon na 'yan ay hindi dahil sa obligasyon, kundi sa pagmamahal. Sapagkat kapag nawala na ang pagmamahal, magsisimula na tayong magkwentahan sa bawat isa.
The 'God-question' will lead us to 'man-question'. Who do you say that I am? Sino ba Ako para sa iyo? Kaya kapag mayroon tayong problema sa ating mga relasyon - sino ba siya para sa atin? Sino ba ako para sa kanila?
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, ask yourself. Malinaw ba sa akin kung sino ako? Ikalawa, nagagawa ko ba ang aking tungkulin sa aking kasama? Sa harapan ng Diyos, sino ako, at sino Siya? Kung maliwanag sa inyo, hindi ka magrereklamo kung bakit kailangan mong magdasal, at hindi ka magrereklamo kung bakit kailangan kang magsimba.
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, it is good to ask ourselves. Do we really understand who we really are before God? Do we understand? The question is - "Who am I to you?" or "Who do you say that I am?" or "Sino ba Ako para sa iyo?" Because answering the question will determine our relationship to God. And if we know our relationship to God, then we will know our role.
Minsan, marami sa atin ang nagdadasal na para bagang sa iyong pagdarasal ay naintindihan mo talaga ang loob ng Diyos. Nagagalit ka sa Diyos kapag hindi binibigay sa iyo ng Diyos ang iyong mga panalangin. Kaya magandang itanong - sino ba ang Diyos para sa atin? "Sino ba Ako para sa iyo?"
Halimbawa, sa relasyon natin sa ating kapwa. Halimbawa, ako'y pari. Pag tayo'y lumalabas, sino ba ako sa inyo? 'Ikaw po'y pari.' Kaya huwag ninyo akong kakaladkarin. Nakuha po ninyo? Hindi po ako pwedeng pumunta sa kahit saang lugar na gusto ninyo akong pumunta. Sapagkat ako ay pari. Kuha ninyo? Ano pa? Ang mag-asawa. Kung ikaw ay misis o mister, aba'y umasal ka bilang may asawa. Dahil alam mong ikaw ay may asawa, hindi ka pwedeng mag-asal binata, kahit saan. Maliwanag po 'yon. Pag ikaw ay sumisigaw sa iyong magulang, ang tanong sa iyo ng iyong magulang, "Sino ba ako?" "Kayo po ang aking magulang." "Eh bakit mo ako sinisigawan?"
There must be clarity on our role in life, so that our relationship will be clear. Kapag ang isa ay hindi malinaw....Hindi malinaw sa mga anak kung sino ang magulang sa anak. Kapag may hinihingi ang anak sa magulang, kung makasigaw ang anak. If you know that they are your parents, then respect must be there. If it is clear to you that you are a husband or a wife, then faithfulness must be there. Hindi kayo kikilos dalaga o binata, kasi hindi ka na dalaga, at hindi ka na binata. Ako po ay pari, wala akong asawa, pero hindi ako binata. Hindi ako binata. I am not available. (laughs) Kasal ako sa simbahan. Nakuha po ninyo?
Kasi nagtatampo ang mga tao, 'Si Father, ang hirap imbitahin. Kakain lang naman, eh.' Aba'y kung pwede, bakit hindi? Tapos pag sama nang sama sa inyo ang pari, sasabihin n'yo, 'Kaladkarin 'yang si Father'. (laughs) Pag hindi sumama, ang sungit ni Father. Di ba? Mga minamahal kong mga kapatid, sa panahon ngayon, wala nang paring namatay sa gutom. (laughs) Madalang na nga kayong makakita ng paring payat, eh. (laughs) Di po ba? At karamihan ng sakit ng pari, kundi diabetes, alta presyon. Sobra sa kain. (laughs) Dahil may mga taong walang tigil ang pakain. (laughs) Lalong lalo na pag piyesta. 'Konti lang, Father, konti lang.' Feeling ba nila eh maraming bituka ang pari. (laughs) Kaya mahirap maging pari ngayon. Pag sumama sa babae, babaero. Pag lalaki ang kasama, bakla. (laughs) Pag sumama sa mga bata, pedophile siguro 'yan. (laughs) Sino ako sa inyo? Who am I to you?
Noong buhay pa po ang aking mga magulang, pag bumibisita ako sa bahay, syempre bago kumain, magdarasal. Sasabihin ng Tatay ko, 'Yong pari ang magbe-bless ng food'. Ang sagot ko doon eh, 'Yong Tatay po ng tahanan ang mangunguna sa pagdarasal'. Sasabihin ng Tatay ko, 'Eh, pari ka na, eh.' Ang sagot ko do'n eh, 'For you, I have become a priest, but with you, I remain a son'. Dapat malinaw ang relasyon. Because if the relationship is not clear, then we fail to play our role towards each other. Kaya sabi ni Cardinal sa kanyang Facebook, sa aming mga pari, 'Hindi ka artista, hindi ka singer, hindi ka contractor, pari ka. Magpaka-pari ka.' Tama naman ho 'yon.
Mga minamahal na mga kapatid, it's good to ask ourselves. Ako bilang magulang, bilang anak, bilang asawa, ginagampanan ko ba ang aking tungkulin? Kaya nga nakakalungkot ang tanong ng isa. Sabi niya, "Father, hanggang kailan ko ba susustentuhan ang aking matandang magulang?" Malungkot na tanong. Hindi ko sinagot kung kailan. Ang tanong ko ay, "Gaano mo sila kamahal?" Gaano mo sila kamahal? Sapagkat dapat malinaw sa inyo kung ano ang inyong relasyon sa kanila. At sana, ang relasyon na 'yan ay hindi dahil sa obligasyon, kundi sa pagmamahal. Sapagkat kapag nawala na ang pagmamahal, magsisimula na tayong magkwentahan sa bawat isa.
The 'God-question' will lead us to 'man-question'. Who do you say that I am? Sino ba Ako para sa iyo? Kaya kapag mayroon tayong problema sa ating mga relasyon - sino ba siya para sa atin? Sino ba ako para sa kanila?
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, ask yourself. Malinaw ba sa akin kung sino ako? Ikalawa, nagagawa ko ba ang aking tungkulin sa aking kasama? Sa harapan ng Diyos, sino ako, at sino Siya? Kung maliwanag sa inyo, hindi ka magrereklamo kung bakit kailangan mong magdasal, at hindi ka magrereklamo kung bakit kailangan kang magsimba.
