Gospel Reflection

October 01, 2013

Tuesday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

by Rev. Fr. Ramon Jade Licuanan (Head, Youth Ministry, San Carlos Seminary)

12:15PM Mass, Mary, Queen of Peace Shrine (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)

Reading 1 Zec 8:20-23

Thus says the LORD of hosts: There shall yet come peoples, the inhabitants of many cities; and the inhabitants of one city shall approach those of another, and say, “Come! let us go to implore the favor of the LORD”; and, “I too will go to seek the LORD.” Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to implore the favor of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men of every nationality,  speaking different tongues, shall take hold, yes, take hold of every Jew by the edge of his garment and say,

“Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”

Responsorial Psalm PS 87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7

R. (Zec 8:23) God is with us.
His foundation upon the holy mountains
the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,
more than any dwelling of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you,
O city of God!
R. God is with us.
I tell of Egypt and Babylon
among those that know the LORD;
Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia:
“This man was born there.”
And of Zion they shall say:
“One and all were born in her;
And he who has established her
is the Most High LORD.”
R. God is with us.
They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:
“This man was born there.”
And all shall sing, in their festive dance:
“My home is within you.”
R. God is with us.

Gospel Lk 9:51-56

When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him. On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village.

HOMILY

You can just imagine how the Apostles, James and John, value the mission of Jesus. You can just imagine how they held, with so much importance and reverence, the mission of Jesus. Because when they were denied of hospitality from a house in a Samaritan village on their way to Jerusalem, James and John blew their top. They were so angered by the cold acceptance to them, to the point that they even asked Jesus if He would want them to ask heaven to set the place afire. 

Perhaps, we may also find ourselves in the same situation. At times, we have the best intentions. Sino ba naman ang masama ang hangarin sa buhay? All of us, if not most of us, have good intentions, even holy intentions. Just like James and John who shared the vision with Jesus. But the reality is, along the way, though we have the best intentions, circumstances - people, places - do not always cooperate. At times, there will be hindrances, there will be constraints, there will be some persecutors or distractors, even on the best intentions that we have. Kaya minsan ipanagdarasal natin ang kaaway natin o ang umuusig sa atin na sana mamatay na siya (laughs), na sana mapahamak siya. Because we are so angered, as we are very much convinced that what we are aiming is good, or even holy, pero hinaharangan nila. 

But look at how Jesus reacted to the proposal of James and John. Jesus turned and rebuked them. They were reprimanded, pinagalitan sila ng Panginoon. Jesus was not pleased about that proposal, perhaps to the surprise of the Apostles. Then, they realized the lesson. And what was the lesson, which is the lesson even today? That our pursuit for good should always include and entail goodness as well, and never give way to things that are bad. 

Saint Therese of the Child Jesus said that the only thing that will beget love is love. She, herself, experienced oppression from her superiors, but St. Therese stayed on the spirit of love and forgiveness. She is the patroness of missions, which reminds us that we are all in a mission in our life. And the way to our mission is always love. We cannot justify wrong means or evil means, to pursue even what is good as our goal. Kahit na ang mithiin natin ay mabuti, it will not justify 'yong mga maling pamamaraan natin. 

Look at what's happening in our society - nakakapanghina, nakakapanlumo. There is so much theft and corruption going on. Some of them may have the best intentions for the people, pero ang problema ay ang maling pamamaraan, resorting to something other than honesty, truthfulness or integrity. Therefore, even if we have the best intentions for others or for the Church, kung mali ang pamamaraan natin, if it will resort to violence, to dishonesty, then all our efforts are in vain. 

And so we pray, my dear friends, that yes, we thank God for the good seeds of intention that He has given us, but we also pray that we will pursue the best intentions in our lives to the way and means He desires.