September 13, 2013
Friday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time
Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of
the Church
by Rev. Fr. Leo Nilo
C. Mangussad, - Rector, Shrine of Mary Queen of Peace (Our Lady of Peace Quasi
Parish/EDSA Shrine)
6:30AM Mass at the EDSA Shrine
6:30AM Mass at the EDSA Shrine
Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our
savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my true child in faith: grace,
mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry. I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief. Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry. I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief. Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
R. (see 5) You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.”
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.”
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Gospel Lk
6:39-42
Jesus told his disciples a parable: “Can a blind person
guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to
the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why
do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the
wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove
that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your
own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you
will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”
HOMILY
Elsa was trying to scold her child
and was teaching him to be respectful and obedient. Then suddenly her Mom
called her, 'Elsa, can you please get me a glass of water?' To which Elsa
replied, 'Mom, be quiet! I am trying to teach my child the importance of
patience and obedience.'
My dear brothers and sisters, the
blind cannot teach a blind. If you yourself cannot practice what you preach,
how can you impart this to others? If you would like to teach somebody an
important act, you must practice it yourself. One cannot teach
something by theory alone. One should show what should be done. As a saying
goes, 'Ang isang ginawa ng matanda, kahit mali, sa mata ng bata, ay nagiging
tama.'
The Gospel is trying to remind us to
do things, not through words, but through practice. The First Reading tells us
to first acknowledge our faults or our wrongdoings, and then ask guidance from
the Lord to practice what is right.
Let us ask ourselves. Whenever I
open my mouth to educate others, am I doing it first, or am I just saying it?
