Gospel Reflection

November 01, 2013

Friday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

Solemnity of All Saints

by Rev. Fr. Rufino "Jun" C. Sescon, Jr. - Chaplain, Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel (Greenbelt Chapel), Makati
5:45PM Mass at Greenbelt Chapel, Makati

Reading 1 Rv 7:2-4, 9-14

I, John, saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea, “Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the children of Israel.

After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.”

All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, and exclaimed:

“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?” I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”

Responsorial Psalm PS 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Reading 2 1 Jn 3:1-3

Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.

Gospel Mt 5:1-12a

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.  He began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”

HOMILY

At the time when I was teaching catechism to children, I asked them of their dreams and pursuits in the future. I asked them who wanted to be a lawyer or who wanted to be a doctor, and I could see the enthusiasm of the children. And then I asked them who wanted to be a millionaire, and almost everybody raised their hand. They all want to be rich. 

You know, when I see boys, I always tease them and tell them, 'You want to be a priest?' Dati-rati po ay mahiyain pa ang mga bata, reluctant silang tumanggi sa akin. Pero ngayon po, napapansin ko, tahasan na. They will say 'No, Father'. (laughs) Why? They say they want to have a girlfriend. (laughs)

There was this boy who said 'Father, I want to be a politician, so that I will have many bodyguards.' (laughs) Perhaps, also many cars. I remember, during the barangay elections, someone was interviewed, and when he was asked why he was running for the position of a kagawad, his answer was, 'Wala po akong trabaho, eh, kaya tatakbo na lang po ako.' For him, it is a new business. 

But that is not our topic. Today, we are celebrating the Solemnity of All Saints, so we will not talk about politics. 

And then I asked the children, 'Who wants to be a saint?' And you will see the uneasiness among the children. Just half of them raised their hands, but you will realize that they were raising it reluctantly and sheepishly. But I believe they were doing that, not because they don't want to become saints. I could sense that they were reluctant to raise their hands because they know that saints are 'up there'. We have put saints on pedestals, girded them with gold and surrounded them with flowers, that we think saints are untouchable, unreachable. That's why if you ask people if they want to become saints, they will say 'no', not because they don't want, but they're afraid they might not make it. They are afraid they may not pass the standards. 

But today, my dear brothers and sisters, we're all being reminded, we are supposed to be saints. I re-phrased the question and asked the children who among them wants to go to heaven. Everybody raised their hands. If you want to go to heaven, you have to be a saint. It is not negotiable. Sainthood is not optional. Sainthood is our identity as Christians. Perhaps not the saints that we know, not the likes of Padre Pio, Mother Teresa or John Paul II, not the likes of St. Benedict, St. Scholastica and St. Therese, but people who are silent and faithful. They are also saints. That is why today, we have this celebration. We remember not only our canonized saints. I am sure we have relatives who are also saints. That is why today, we pray for them. Kaya po tayo walang pasok ngayon, ay hindi para magbakasyon o makapagpahinga lang, kundi upang maalala ang mga banal at ang mga yumao. Kung kaya pa po, dalawin n'yo. Huwag n'yo na pong hintayin na sila ang dumalaw sa inyo. (laughs)

The silent and faithful ones are the saints, although most of them may be nameless. And we pray, because once they enter heaven, they become our intercessors. But you don't have to be so pious, you don't have to be so perfect. We can be saints, and that is what we are celebrating today. 

The Cardinal Prefect who approved the canonization of San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, was a good friend of Cardinal Sin. And before that Cardinal was appointed to Rome in the congregation for Causes of Saints, he was a psychiatrist. He was a psychologist. One time, when he was with Cardinal Sin, he was saying, 'You know, Eminence, for 20 years of my life, I have been reading the cases of psychiatric patients. For 20 years, that was my job - reading their stories. Now that I am a cardinal for the congregation of saints for the past 5 years, I have been reading the lives of candidates for sainthood. And you know what I realized? There is a very, very thin line of difference. Magkahawig na magkahawig lang daw ang mga tao at sira-ulo. (laughs) Di may pag-asa talaga tayo. (more laughs) 

The Cardinal Prefect said that both kinds of people do outrageous things. But the very main difference, the very thin-line difference is that, the saints could not live without God. In mental institutions, in moments of trials, they break down. In moments of depression, they have nothing or no one to hold on. But the saints, in moments of weakness, they have come to hold on. That's the only difference. Saints have the Lord God to hold on. 

And God is holding on for us. Some of us may have mistakes. Some of us may have faults. But we can still be saints, if we allow God to make a big difference in our life. 

I have met people. Ibang-iba ang pakiramdam nila kapag nakalimutan nila 'yong cellphone nila. Nakatagpo na ba kayo ng nawalan ng cellphone? Naku restless, tuliro o di mapakali, parang sirang-sira na agad ang diskarte o disposisyon. Ang mga saints, pag wala ang Diyos sa buhay niya, wala siyang magagawa, wala siyang mapipili, wala siyang mapupuntahan. 

Let us ask ourselves - if God is removed from the picture, can we still survive? Can we still hold on? Can we still be happy? If we will say 'yes', you still have to work double time to become a saint. That is simply sainthood - allowing God to make a big difference in your life. You don't have to be perfect all the time. But you always have to have God in your heart. 

One time, I saw a movie about a modern-day saint, and towards the end, a caption was flashed. 'Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future.' Today, let us relish these words. Every saint has a past. Di naman po lahat ng santo ay perfect. Meron din po silang mga masasaklap na nakaraan, pero naging santo pa rin sila. And us who are sinners, we still have a future. We can still become saints. 

As we continue with this mass, let us ask the Lord for that grace. Lord, You have called us to be holy. Not simply the pious type, not the immaculate type, but a holy person who struggles. A holy person who tries his very best. A holy person who holds on to God at all costs. Lord, pardon us when we forget our calling. Pardon us when we forget You in our lives. Remind us always Lord, that our final destination, our real goal is to be with You. 

We are saints. Whether we like it or not, that is our vocation, so help us Lord. Amen. 

Gospel Reflection

September 06, 2013

First Friday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

by Rev. Fr. Joseph “Joey” Faller (Spiritual Director of the Kamay ni Hesus Healing Center, Lucban, Quezon Province)
12:15PM Mass at the Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord (Megamall Chapel)

Reading 1 Col 1:15-20

Brothers and sisters: Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the Body, the Church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the Blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.

Responsorial Psalm PS 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5

R. (2b) Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise;
Give thanks to him; bless his name.
R. Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
For he is good,
the LORD, whose kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.

Gospel Lk 5:33-39

The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, “The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.” Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” And he also told them a parable. “No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one. Otherwise, he will tear the new and the piece from it will not match the old cloak. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins. And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”

HOMILY

I was away for 40 days. I came to visit the U.S., in California, San Francisco, L.A., then I went to Chicago, to New York, New Jersey, then to Boston, and came back again to San Francisco. It was a long, long marathon of healing masses. And to tell you honestly, all the masses that I celebrated was full of people. Habang tumatagal ay dumadami po ang mga tao. The average attendance is more than a thousand. Umuuwi po ako sa tinitirhan ko na kamag-anak at almost 2 o'clock in the morning, that is every day. At magigising po ako the next day, in the morning, may mga tao na po sa sala ng Tita ko, asking for prayers. My average sleep is 2 or 3 hours. It was not really vacation time for me.

Noong dumating naman po ako sa Pilipinas, gayon na rin po ang schedule ko. Sometimes, hindi po kaya lahat sa isang araw. Sabi ko po, kung ang isang araw ay may 30 hours, siguro makakayanan ko ang requests ng mga tao. Yesterday, three hospitals were awaiting me, but I had three masses, so I was not able to come to one of the hospitals. Kaya sabi ko, to tell you honestly, nakakapagod po itong ministry na ito, but it's very fulfilling. Ang mga tao po, walang ubos sa kahihiling. Hiling ng boyfriend (laughs), hiling ng asawa, hiling ng kagalingan, and so on and so forth. But I am happy doing my job, but still, I also need to rest. Sometimes, I really need to take time for myself, and with my God. Kaya sa mga darating pong oras, I will try my best to rest.

In our Holy Gospel for today, we heard the Scribes and Pharisees complaining. They said, "Why are Your disciples not fasting?" They are 'fast-eating' (laughs) or feasting? And the Lord said, "How can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?" What does the Lord mean? Well, nakakita na ba kayo ng kasalan na ang handa lang sa kasal ay kape at singkamas? (laughs) Isn't it that a wedding is really a celebration of joy, a celebration of life? So how can you mourn during that time? Kaya sinasabi ng Panginoon, to be with the Lord is to experience joy. Though we have problems, though we have debts, marami tayong utang na hindi mabayaran, though we have a lot of illnesses, marami tayong mga pinagdaraanan, if we believe that Jesus is with us, it can be a joyful experience.

May tatlong bagay po kung bakit nagfa-fasting ang mga Scribes and Pharisees. Number one is to mourn for somebody who died. Second, to pray for conversion and renewal, for reparation. And third, they fast to sustain the presence of God. Isa-isahin po natin ang reason. First is to mourn for the dead. Wala pa naman pong namamatay noon sa mga disipulo ni Hesus, at ang Panginoon naman po ay kasama nila. So, there is no need for mourning. Second, on renewing one's life, Jesus's disciples were already converted and renewed. And the third reason on sustaining the presence of God, Jesus is very much present with the disciples. Therefore, there is no need for fasting. There will come a time that they would fast, if Jesus is no longer with them. What the Lord is suggesting is, our religion is a religion of joy. Kaya tignan mo ang kasama mo at sabihing mong 'may pag-asa ka pa'....hindi ka pa mamamatay (laughs)....ngayon....bukas na lang (loud laughs).....biro lang po. Ours is a religion of joy.

The second lesson, which is the last point that I would like to share with you is this. Sabi ng Panginoon, hindi mo pwedeng isama ang lumang damit doon sa bagong damit. Masisira pareho. Gayun din naman, you do not put old wine on new wineskin, because the new wineskin will break. What is the Lord suggesting here? The Lord is telling us that if you have received the Lord, if you have received Jesus in your heart, you already have new life. Therefore, there should be no more turning back. There should be no more going back to the old life. There should be no more trying to enjoy a double life. If you are with Jesus, live a new life that Jesus has shared with you.

May the healing mass today inspire us to really walk in the life of Jesus Christ. As St. Paul says, let us put on a new man, a new mind, a new heart, patterned after Jesus Christ our Lord. May this healing mass inspire us to have new life and new hope. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Gospel Reflection

August 02, 2013

First Friday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

by Fr. Dominador “Domie” G. Guzman Jr. (Society of Saint Paul)

12:15PM Mass, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord (Megamall Chapel)

Reading 1 Lv 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37

The LORD said to Moses, “These are the festivals of the LORD which you shall celebrate at their proper time with a sacred assembly. The Passover of the LORD falls on the fourteenth day of the first month, at the evening twilight. The fifteenth day of this month is the LORD’s feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first of these days you shall hold a sacred assembly and do no sort of work. On each of the seven days you shall offer an oblation to the LORD. Then on the seventh day you shall again hold a sacred assembly and do no sort of work.”

The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the children of Israel and tell them: When you come into the land which I am giving you,
and reap your harvest, you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest, who shall wave the sheaf before the LORD that it may be acceptable for you. On the day after the sabbath the priest shall do this.

“Beginning with the day after the sabbath, the day on which you bring the wave-offering sheaf, you shall count seven full weeks, and then on the day after the seventh week, the fiftieth day, you shall present the new cereal offering to the LORD.

“The tenth of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement, when you shall hold a sacred assembly and mortify yourselves and offer an oblation to the LORD.

“The fifteenth day of this seventh month is the LORD’s feast of Booths, which shall continue for seven days. On the first day there shall be a sacred assembly, and you shall do no sort of work. For seven days you shall offer an oblation to the LORD, and on the eighth day you shall again hold a sacred assembly and offer an oblation to the LORD. On that solemn closing you shall do no sort of work.

“These, therefore, are the festivals of the LORD on which you shall proclaim a sacred assembly, and offer as an oblation to the LORD burnt offerings and cereal offerings, sacrifices and libations, as prescribed for each day.”

 

Responsorial Psalm PS 81:3-4, 5-6, 10-11ab

R. (2a) Sing with joy to God our help.
Take up a melody, and sound the timbrel,
the pleasant harp and the lyre.
Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our solemn feast.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
For it is a statute in Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob,
Who made it a decree for Joseph
when he came forth from the land of Egypt.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
There shall be no strange god among you
nor shall you worship any alien god.
I, the LORD, am your God
who led you forth from the land of Egypt.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.

 

Gospel Mt 13:54-58

Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

HOMILY

Agosto na, ano. Pagkatapos nito ay 'ber-ber-ber' na tayo. 

Anyway, habang binabasa po kanina 'yong First Reading, pinagmamasdan ko 'yong mga mukha ninyo. Alam n'yo, ang isa sa mga konsolasyon ng isang pari habang nagmimisa para hindi antukin, eh tinitignan namin 'yong mga mukha ninyo. (laughs) Iba-ibang mga mukha. May mga naghihikab, (laughs) may mga kukuti-kutitap na 'yong mga mata. Naisip ko tuloy kanina habang binabasa 'yong First Reading, naintindihan kaya ng mga taong ito 'yong ine-emote na basahin no'ng ating reader? Pero hindi ko ho kayo masisisi kapag 'yong First Reading kanina ay hindi n'yo masyadong ma-gets. (laughs) Kasi, sa totoo lang, ano ba 'yong mga pinagsasabing binibilang na mga araw doon?

Alam n'yo po, we are familiar, sa loob ng simbahan, na sa ating selebrasyon, mayroon tayong sinusunod na tinatawag natin na Liturgical Calendar. Kaya bago pumasok sa misa, tinatanong ng mga lay minister ang pari, "Ano hong kulay ang isusuot natin?" Kasi ngayon, pwedeng green, pwedeng puti. Sabi ko, magputi na lang tayo, kasi kapistahan ni Peter Julian Eymard at First Friday, so magputi na lang tayo. At may sinusunod ding mga readings 'yan. At alam po natin na ang liturgical season ay may sacred seasons. Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, at syempre 'yong pinakamahaba ay 'yong Ordinary Time. 

'Yon pong mga Hudyo, sapagkat mayroon din silang covenant with God - at 'yong mga nagsimba kahapon, kung narinig ninyo 'yong First Reading - nagpatayo rin ang Diyos ng temple, ng dwelling place, kasama ang mga Hudyo. Meron din silang sinusundan po na calendar of festivities. Ang binasa po natin kanina sa First Reading ay ang lista ng apat na mahalagang kapistahan na kung saan ang mga Hudyo, saan man sila nanggagaling, ay kailangang umakyat ng templo ng Herusalem, four times a year.

'Yong unang kapistahan ay Passover. 'Yon ang paggunita nila taun-taon sa paglaya na ginawa ng mga Israelita mula sa 400 years of slavery from Egypt. Para sa kanila, 'yon ang simula ng kanilang covenant sa Panginoon. Kaya napakahalagang araw. Ang ikalawang kapistahan ay 'yong tinatawag po na Feast of the First Fruits - 50 days after Passover. 'Yon po ang original na kapistahan ng Pentecost, na kung saan ginugunita ng mga Israelita ang pagbibigay ng Sampung Utos ng Diyos, na naging pundasyon nilang mga batas at ng kanilang covenant. 'Yong pangatlo ay 'yong Day of Atonement. 'Yong mga Muslim may Ramadan - kaya nga sa August 9, holiday na naman sapagkat pagtatapos ng Ramadan. 'Yon palang Ramadan ay patterned after the 'Yom Kippur' ng mga Israelita, na kung saan once a year ay nag-aalay sila ng kanilang pagsisisi sa Panginoon sa lahat ng kanilang mga kasalanan. And then, the last festival mentioned is the Feast of the Tabernacles, kung saan po sa loob ng isang linggo, inaalisan ng mga Israelita ang kanilang mga bahay upang tumira sa mga tolda - mga kubol - para sa gano'n ay magunita nila ang 40 years ng kanila pong mahabang paglalakbay sa disiyerto bago marating ang Lupang Pangako. 'Yon 'yong magandang kuwento ng ating First Reading. 

'Yong Gospel reading naman natin, matapos ang maraming mga istorya ng mga parables, nakaka-frustrate kasi sabi dito, 'yong mga tao ay hindi makapaniwala kay Hesus sa Kanyang mga parables na punong-puno ng wisdom. Bakit? Kasi sabi nila, anak lang 'yan ng karpintero, eh. Kilala naman natin kung sino Siya, kung sino ang Kanyang pamilya. And the Gospel says Jesus was not able to do mighty works because of their lack of faith. 

Brothers and sisters, kapag pinagsama natin itong dalawang kuwentong ito - ang First Reading at ang Ebanghelyo - I think, ang nabubuong mensahe sa atin ng Word of God ngayong First Friday of August na ito, ay ang Diyos ay nangangailangan ng space. God is all powerful; totoo 'yon. God is all knowing; tama po 'yon. Subalit upang ang Diyos ay kumilos sa buhay natin, we need to give God a space. 'Yan ang hiningi ng Diyos sa Unang Pagbasa, na matapos ang mga Israelitang pumasok sa lupang pangako, huwag nilang kakalimutan ang Diyos, at dahil diyan, at least, apat na beses sa isang taon, iiwan nila ang kanilang mga trabaho. They will make a pilgrimage four times a year to Jerusalem, to remember the Lord. To give time to the Lord, to remember the mighty works of God. 

Gayon din naman sa ating Gospel. Bakit si Hesus hindi makagawa ng miracle? Walang space. The minds and hearts of the people are filled with their bias to Jesus. Kaya anumang kwento ang gawin ni Lord, anumang paliwanag ang gawin Niya sa parables, there is no space in the hearts and minds of the people. And God cannot do anything. 

Siguro 'yon din ang tanong ng Panginoon sa atin ngayon. May space ba si Lord sa buhay natin? May space ba siya sa time natin? Tayo ay isang sibilisasyon na napaka-conscious sa oras, ano? Masyado tayong tight sa oras. Bawat minuto, kailangang may ginagawa. Sayang ang oras. Pero isipin mo, kung nagkasakit ka, hindi mo pwedeng sabihing sayang ang oras, magtatrabaho ako. May sakit ka, eh....ha? Is there a space for God, not only in our time, but in our minds, and in our hearts? Sa ating pag-iisip, sa atin pong mga damdamin? O tulad ba tayo ng mga taong taga-Nazareth na wala - sarado na ang utak, sarado na ang isipan, ang damdamin sa Panginoon? A space for God.....

Kaya napakahalaga ho para sa ating mga tao na unang-una, may prayer time tayo. May retreat, di ba? Gustong gusto ko 'yong paliwanag ng aking propesor noon sa Loyola. What is prayer? Ang sabi po ni Thomas Green, ang aking propesor, "Prayer is opening to God." When you pray, you open to God. 

Pagkatapos ng ating First Friday noong nakalipas na buwan, sapagkat wala din si Father Joey noon, kinailangan ko pong tumakbo sa Puerto Princesa. Doon ako for one week sa Puerto Princesa. Nag-retreat ako at nagbigay ako ng talk sa 41 priests from the Diocese of Pagadian in Mindanao. Gustong-gusto kong makasama 'yong mga pari sa Mindanao - mga koboy. Iba 'yong mga pari sa Maynila eh, puro mga naka-Barong palagi. (laughs) Naka-Barong, naka-clean cut palagi...mga spoiled. (laughs) Eh sa Mindanao, hindi eh. Dalawa 'yong paring kasama ko, naka-tirintas 'yong mahabang buhok (surprised, amused reaction from the people), balbasarado ha. Nagko-conference kami, 'yong suot nila, 'yong shorts, ah....Koboy sila. But you know, I like it very well when I go on retreat with these priests from Mindanao, because I am also reminded about my own priesthood. Na kailangan ang pagpapari ay...nakasadsad sa lupa ang iyong mga paa. 

At itong mga pari sa Mindanao, ang daming mga kwento. How their lives are really challenging and real. 'Yong isang pari, nagkukwento kung papaanong namalegke siya. Hindi 'yong boy, kundi siya 'yong namalengke. At 'yong palengke, mga Muslim 'yong nandodoon. Eh kinursunada siya. Habang namamalengke siya't namimili ng mga isda, may bilyar sa likod niya. 'Yong may hawak ng taco o pool stick, ini-atras ang taco nang dire-direcho. Sapul ang likuran ng pari. Ano'ng pari pari....Mga Muslim....Mangiyak-ngiyak daw siya sa sakit pero sabi niya, 'Tiniis ko na lang. Hindi ako lumingon, sapagkat alam kong pag lumingon ako, may mangyayari." 

Sometimes, hearing people, fellow priests talk like this, fellow priests in a retreat, is a time with God. It is a time when God is reminding you, "Hoy...priesthood is a gift to you. Hindi sa iyo 'yan. Huwag mong angkinin, pahiram ko lang. Magpakatino ka. Magpaka-baba ka." 

We need prayers to have space for God. Minsan, not only prayers. We need delays....delays to have space for God. Alam n'yo minsan, ayaw na ayaw natin 'yong nade-delay. Tingin tayo nang tingin sa orasan. Delay...delay, delay. But you know, brothers and sisters, many times, God uses a delay to make a space for Himself. Kasi kung minsan, pag hindi tayo nade-delay, wala na tayong panahon para sa sarili at para sa Diyos. 

Isa po sa mga trabaho ko bilang pari ay magsulat sa St. Paul. Eh kung minsan dine-deadline na ako. "Father Domie, deadline na bukas." Naisip ko, gusto kong isulat 'yong article, 'yong reflection a month before, pero hindi ako makapagsulat. Delay...delay. Pagdating ng gabi, sabi ko, 'Lord, bukas na ang submission nito, kundi mahuhuli ang Sambuhay'. You'll be suprised. May mga bagay na hindi mo naisip noon, pero at the last moment, doon mo maiisip. 'Wow, maganda pala itong point of reflection na ito'. At 'yon finally ang isusulat mo. In 30 minutes, tapos, ano? Ganyan si Lord. Kaya huwag kayong magagalit kung nade-delay-delay kayo minsan. It can be God's way of giving a space for Himself in our lives. 

We need prayer, we need delays, and sometimes, we need sickness....Some people need to be sick to have a space for God, di ba? Sa totoo lang, 'yong iba, kundi maysakit, hindi hihinto, eh. Di ba? O...kung hindi magkasakit, hindi magdadahan-dahan. Tuloy-tuloy lang. Pati sarili, pati pamilya, napapabayaan. Sobrang sipag. Kaya kung minsan, siguro sabi ni Lord, "Oy...bed rest ka muna. Bed rest. At habang nagbe-bed rest ka, kakausapin Kita." 

Kaya, brothers and sisters, I think this is the point that the Lord would wish to tell us sa ating Word of God ngayon. Huwag kayong magtatampo kapag every now and then, God applies the brakes in your life. God needs your time. God needs a space in your mind. God needs a space in your heart. Amen.