August 19, 2013
Monday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time
by
Rev. Fr. Montecarlo Veloria (Rector, Shrine of the Our Lady of Mercy,
Novaliches, Quezon City)
12:15PM Mass at Megamall, Chapel of
the Eucharistic Lord
The children of Israel offended the LORD by serving the
Baals. Abandoning the LORD, the God of their fathers, who led them out of the
land of Egypt, they followed the other gods of the various nations around them,
and by their worship of these gods provoked the LORD.
Because they had thus abandoned him and served Baal and the Ashtaroth, the anger of the LORD flared up against Israel, and he delivered them over to plunderers who despoiled them. He allowed them to fall into the power of their enemies round about whom they were no longer able to withstand. Whatever they undertook, the LORD turned into disaster for them, as in his warning he had sworn he would do, till they were in great distress. Even when the LORD raised up judges to deliver them from the power of their despoilers, they did not listen to their judges, but abandoned themselves to the worship of other gods. They were quick to stray from the way their fathers had taken, and did not follow their example of obedience to the commandments of the LORD. Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, he would be with the judge and save them from the power of their enemies as long as the judge lived; it was thus the LORD took pity on their distressful cries of affliction under their oppressors. But when the judge died,
they would relapse and do worse than their ancestors, following other gods in service and worship, relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn conduct.
Because they had thus abandoned him and served Baal and the Ashtaroth, the anger of the LORD flared up against Israel, and he delivered them over to plunderers who despoiled them. He allowed them to fall into the power of their enemies round about whom they were no longer able to withstand. Whatever they undertook, the LORD turned into disaster for them, as in his warning he had sworn he would do, till they were in great distress. Even when the LORD raised up judges to deliver them from the power of their despoilers, they did not listen to their judges, but abandoned themselves to the worship of other gods. They were quick to stray from the way their fathers had taken, and did not follow their example of obedience to the commandments of the LORD. Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, he would be with the judge and save them from the power of their enemies as long as the judge lived; it was thus the LORD took pity on their distressful cries of affliction under their oppressors. But when the judge died,
they would relapse and do worse than their ancestors, following other gods in service and worship, relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn conduct.
R. (4a) Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They did not exterminate the peoples,
as the LORD had commanded them,
But mingled with the nations
and learned their works.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They served their idols,
which became a snare for them.
They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to demons.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They became defiled by their works,
and wanton in their crimes.
And the LORD grew angry with his people,
and abhorred his inheritance.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Many times did he rescue them,
but they embittered him with their counsels.
Yet he had regard for their affliction
when he heard their cry.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They did not exterminate the peoples,
as the LORD had commanded them,
But mingled with the nations
and learned their works.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They served their idols,
which became a snare for them.
They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to demons.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They became defiled by their works,
and wanton in their crimes.
And the LORD grew angry with his people,
and abhorred his inheritance.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Many times did he rescue them,
but they embittered him with their counsels.
Yet he had regard for their affliction
when he heard their cry.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
A young man approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good must
I do to gain eternal life?” He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the
commandments.” He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, “You shall not
kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear
false witness; honor your father and your mother; and you shall love your
neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed.
What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell
what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then
come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for
he had many possessions.
HOMILY
Ang
focus ng ating Gospel or reflection, ay tungkol sa yaman - riches. And the
object of scrutiny is a young, rich man, who was very, very promising.
Alam n'yo mga kapatid, kung ang kayamanan ang siyang batayan ng ating kaligayahan o fulfillment, sana itong young, rich man ay hindi na lumapit sa ating Panginoon. Pero lumapit siya, because he felt that there is something lacking. We heard the young man ask, "Lord, what good must I do to gain eternal life?" And the Lord said, "If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." Which ones? And the Lord enumerated them. And the young man said that he has observed these commandments from his childhood. Napakabait ng batang mayaman, mga kapatid. Hindi siya nagnanakaw, hindi siya involved sa kahit ano'ng uri ng scam. Tapat siya sa kanyang pamilya. Inaalagaan niya ang kanyang mga magulang. He is perfect.
But the Lord challenged him, as he is going to challenge us. The Lord told the young man to go and dispose of his riches, and give them to the poor. We know what happened. The young, rich man went away sad. Nakakita na ba kayo ng isang taong sobrang yaman na malungkot? After the young rich man's conversation with the Lord, he went away sad. Why? The answer is obvious. He cannot dispose of his material wealth. He cannot do away with his riches, because he was so attached to them. He could not live without them, and it is very sad.
All of us, my dear friends, bilang mga Kristiyano....lahat po tayo ay mayaman. Walang mahirap. Mayaman ka, because the Lord is not speaking of material wealth here. You might be poor in material things, but definitely, you are rich in God's love. You are rich in your dignity. You are rich as a Christian. But sometimes, our material wealth hinders us to follow the footsteps of the Lord.
My dear brothers and sisters, as we continue with this mass, let us ask ourselves. Ano ba ang mga bagay sa buhay ko na nagiging hadlang para ako'y lubusang sumunod sa ating Panginoon, at aking makamtan ang buhay na walang hanggan?
Alam n'yo mga kapatid, kung ang kayamanan ang siyang batayan ng ating kaligayahan o fulfillment, sana itong young, rich man ay hindi na lumapit sa ating Panginoon. Pero lumapit siya, because he felt that there is something lacking. We heard the young man ask, "Lord, what good must I do to gain eternal life?" And the Lord said, "If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." Which ones? And the Lord enumerated them. And the young man said that he has observed these commandments from his childhood. Napakabait ng batang mayaman, mga kapatid. Hindi siya nagnanakaw, hindi siya involved sa kahit ano'ng uri ng scam. Tapat siya sa kanyang pamilya. Inaalagaan niya ang kanyang mga magulang. He is perfect.
But the Lord challenged him, as he is going to challenge us. The Lord told the young man to go and dispose of his riches, and give them to the poor. We know what happened. The young, rich man went away sad. Nakakita na ba kayo ng isang taong sobrang yaman na malungkot? After the young rich man's conversation with the Lord, he went away sad. Why? The answer is obvious. He cannot dispose of his material wealth. He cannot do away with his riches, because he was so attached to them. He could not live without them, and it is very sad.
All of us, my dear friends, bilang mga Kristiyano....lahat po tayo ay mayaman. Walang mahirap. Mayaman ka, because the Lord is not speaking of material wealth here. You might be poor in material things, but definitely, you are rich in God's love. You are rich in your dignity. You are rich as a Christian. But sometimes, our material wealth hinders us to follow the footsteps of the Lord.
My dear brothers and sisters, as we continue with this mass, let us ask ourselves. Ano ba ang mga bagay sa buhay ko na nagiging hadlang para ako'y lubusang sumunod sa ating Panginoon, at aking makamtan ang buhay na walang hanggan?
