October 13, 2013
by Rev. Fr. Caloy Reyes (Executive Secretary,
CBCP Episcopal Commission on Interreligious Dialogue)
12:15PM Mass, Mary, Queen of Peace Shrine (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)
12:15PM Mass, Mary, Queen of Peace Shrine (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)
Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at
the word of Elisha, the man of God. His
flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean of his
leprosy.
Naaman returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival he stood before Elisha and said, "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel. Please accept a gift from your servant."
Elisha replied, "As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it;" and despite Naaman's urging, he still refused. Naaman said: "If you will not accept, please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth, for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the LORD."
Naaman returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival he stood before Elisha and said, "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel. Please accept a gift from your servant."
Elisha replied, "As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it;" and despite Naaman's urging, he still refused. Naaman said: "If you will not accept, please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth, for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the LORD."
R. (cf. 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his
saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands:
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands:
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Beloved:
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David: such is my
gospel, for which I am suffering, even to the point of chains, like a criminal.
But the word of God is not chained. Therefore, I bear with everything for the
sake of those who are chosen, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is
in Christ Jesus, together with eternal
glory. This saying is trustworthy: If we have died with him we shall also live
with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he
will deny us. If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.
As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled
through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They
stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying, "Jesus,
Master! Have pity on us!" And when he saw them, he said, "Go show
yourselves to the priests." As they were going they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been
healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of
Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, "Ten were
cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner
returned to give thanks to God?" Then
he said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you."
HOMILY
Today's Gospel has two lessons for us. The first lesson is about marginalization. Marginalization is a situation wherein we set persons in the margins of society. Ang mga tao ay nilalagay natin sa margin. Diyan kayo, dito kami. And there are reasons why people are marginalized. 'Yon ay maaaring kasalanan ng tao, o kasalanan ng iba sa tao. May mga tao kasing sadya nang makasalanan. May mga taong talamak na sa kasalanan - mga killers, criminals. We put them in prison, para hindi natin sila makasama sa lipunan. Minsan, may mga kasamahan tayo na masama ang ugali. Kunyari 'yong asawa mo masama ang ugali (laughs), so mina-marginalize mo siya. Ngayon kung napapansin mo na ang lahat ng taong kasama mo ay sinusuka ka na, o pag nakikita ka na ay naduduwal (laughs), siguro huwag mo silang sisihin. Kasi kung minsan, pag marami ka nang hindi makasundo o tinatakwil ka na ng pamilya mo, siguro ikaw na ang may kasalanan. Kaya ikaw naman ang nama-marginalize. Minsan naman ay ang ibang tao na ang may kasalanan. Katulad ng bullying sa school. Pag hindi ka natipuhan ng classmate mo, ibu-bully ka nila. 'Yong mga lesbians and homosexuals, we also tend to marginalize them. Kung sasabihin mo agad sa homosexual or sa lesbian na pupunta siya sa impyerno, papa'no pa sila magsisimba? Others want to be richer than the others, so kukunin nila ang yaman na para sa iba. That is also putting others in margins.
Marginalization is a sin - when we discriminate persons because they are different. And this is exemplified in the Gospel in the image of the leper. During the time of Jesus, if you have leprosy, you are considered an outcast. Tinatakwil ka sa labas ng komunidad. Suot mo ang sira-sirang damit, tapos tatakpan mo ang mukha mo, at pag may lumapit sa iyong tao, sasabihin mong may ketong ka, para di ka niya lapitan. It is an image of marginalization. And Jesus Christ healed ten lepers in the Gospel. He brought them back to society.
The second lesson in the Gospel is about gratitude. Of the ten lepers who Jesus healed, only one came back, praising God and giving thanks to Jesus. One out of ten. Ten percent lang ang tumanaw ng utang na loob kay Hesus. Marami tayong hinihiling sa Diyos. Kaya lang minsan, kapag nakuha na natin ang ating hinihiling, ok ka na, nakalimutan mo nang magpasalamat. Hanggang ngayon, ganyan pa rin ang nangyayari. Sa buong karanasan ko bilang pari, maraming humihiling sa akin ng dasal at tulong, pero kakaunti lang ang nagpapasalamat, at isa lang ang bumalik sa akin para magpasalamat. May mag-asawang hindi magka-anak at humingi sa akin ng blessing. Noong binigyan ko sila ng blessing, naramdaman ko na ibibigay sa kanila ng Diyos ang kanilang hinihiling. After two months, bumalik sa akin ang mag-asawa, buntis na ang babae. Isa lang ang bumalik sa akin para magpasalamat.
Ganoon din po tayo. Why should we be grateful? It is because being grateful will help, not the one who helped you, but yourself. Being grateful means we recognize that we are not self-sufficient, and that we need God. Being grateful also reminds us of God's goodness and love. Hindi 'yong lalapit ka lang, magsisimba ka lang pag may kailangan ka. Pag nakakuha ka na, ok ka na. Ngayon pa lang, umpisahan na natin na matutong magbigay ng pasasalamat sa Panginoon, para lalo tayong mabigyan ng biyaya.
Today's Gospel has two lessons for us. The first lesson is about marginalization. Marginalization is a situation wherein we set persons in the margins of society. Ang mga tao ay nilalagay natin sa margin. Diyan kayo, dito kami. And there are reasons why people are marginalized. 'Yon ay maaaring kasalanan ng tao, o kasalanan ng iba sa tao. May mga tao kasing sadya nang makasalanan. May mga taong talamak na sa kasalanan - mga killers, criminals. We put them in prison, para hindi natin sila makasama sa lipunan. Minsan, may mga kasamahan tayo na masama ang ugali. Kunyari 'yong asawa mo masama ang ugali (laughs), so mina-marginalize mo siya. Ngayon kung napapansin mo na ang lahat ng taong kasama mo ay sinusuka ka na, o pag nakikita ka na ay naduduwal (laughs), siguro huwag mo silang sisihin. Kasi kung minsan, pag marami ka nang hindi makasundo o tinatakwil ka na ng pamilya mo, siguro ikaw na ang may kasalanan. Kaya ikaw naman ang nama-marginalize. Minsan naman ay ang ibang tao na ang may kasalanan. Katulad ng bullying sa school. Pag hindi ka natipuhan ng classmate mo, ibu-bully ka nila. 'Yong mga lesbians and homosexuals, we also tend to marginalize them. Kung sasabihin mo agad sa homosexual or sa lesbian na pupunta siya sa impyerno, papa'no pa sila magsisimba? Others want to be richer than the others, so kukunin nila ang yaman na para sa iba. That is also putting others in margins.
Marginalization is a sin - when we discriminate persons because they are different. And this is exemplified in the Gospel in the image of the leper. During the time of Jesus, if you have leprosy, you are considered an outcast. Tinatakwil ka sa labas ng komunidad. Suot mo ang sira-sirang damit, tapos tatakpan mo ang mukha mo, at pag may lumapit sa iyong tao, sasabihin mong may ketong ka, para di ka niya lapitan. It is an image of marginalization. And Jesus Christ healed ten lepers in the Gospel. He brought them back to society.
The second lesson in the Gospel is about gratitude. Of the ten lepers who Jesus healed, only one came back, praising God and giving thanks to Jesus. One out of ten. Ten percent lang ang tumanaw ng utang na loob kay Hesus. Marami tayong hinihiling sa Diyos. Kaya lang minsan, kapag nakuha na natin ang ating hinihiling, ok ka na, nakalimutan mo nang magpasalamat. Hanggang ngayon, ganyan pa rin ang nangyayari. Sa buong karanasan ko bilang pari, maraming humihiling sa akin ng dasal at tulong, pero kakaunti lang ang nagpapasalamat, at isa lang ang bumalik sa akin para magpasalamat. May mag-asawang hindi magka-anak at humingi sa akin ng blessing. Noong binigyan ko sila ng blessing, naramdaman ko na ibibigay sa kanila ng Diyos ang kanilang hinihiling. After two months, bumalik sa akin ang mag-asawa, buntis na ang babae. Isa lang ang bumalik sa akin para magpasalamat.
Ganoon din po tayo. Why should we be grateful? It is because being grateful will help, not the one who helped you, but yourself. Being grateful means we recognize that we are not self-sufficient, and that we need God. Being grateful also reminds us of God's goodness and love. Hindi 'yong lalapit ka lang, magsisimba ka lang pag may kailangan ka. Pag nakakuha ka na, ok ka na. Ngayon pa lang, umpisahan na natin na matutong magbigay ng pasasalamat sa Panginoon, para lalo tayong mabigyan ng biyaya.
