Gospel Reflection

January 22, 2014

Wednesday – Ordinary Time

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

by Rev. Fr. Joel Jason (Dean of Studies, Graduate School of Theology San Carlos Seminary)
12:15PM Mass, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord (SM Megamall Chapel)

Reading 1 1 sm 17:32-33, 37, 40-51

David spoke to Saul: “Let your majesty not lose courage. I am at your service to go and fight this Philistine.” But Saul answered David, “You cannot go up against this Philistine and fight with him, for you are only a youth, while he has been a warrior from his youth.”

David continued: “The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will also keep me safe from the clutches of this Philistine.” Saul answered David, “Go! the LORD will be with you.”

Then, staff in hand, David selected five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pocket of his shepherd’s bag. With his sling also ready to hand, he approached the Philistine.

With his shield bearer marching before him, the Philistine also advanced closer and closer to David. When he had sized David up, and seen that he was youthful, and ruddy, and handsome in appearance, the Philistine held David in contempt. The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog that you come against me with a staff?” Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods and said to him, “Come here to me, and I will leave your flesh for the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.” David answered him: “You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel that you have insulted. Today the LORD shall deliver you into my hand; I will strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will leave your corpse and the corpses of the Philistine army for the birds of the air and the beasts of the field; thus the whole land shall learn that Israel has a God. All this multitude, too, shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves. For the battle is the LORD’s and he shall deliver you into our hands.”

The Philistine then moved to meet David at close quarters, while David ran quickly toward the battle line  in the direction of the Philistine. David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone, hurled it with the sling, and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone embedded itself in his brow, and he fell prostrate on the ground. Thus David overcame the Philistine with sling and stone; he struck the Philistine mortally, and did it without a sword. Then David ran and stood over him; with the Philistine’s own sword which he drew from its sheath he dispatched him and cut off his head.

 

Responsorial Psalm ps 144:1b, 2, 9-10

R. (1) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
My refuge and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust,
who subdues my people under me.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten-stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

Gospel mk 3:1-6

Jesus entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched Jesus closely to see if he would cure him on the Sabbath so that they might accuse him. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.” Then he said to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

HOMILY

Many times, I hear in casual conversations, may mga taong nagsasabi nang, "Uy ikaw, napaka-nega mo." I don't know if you have heard that expression. "Napaka-nega mo naman." One time I heard that, I asked what the statement means. Ang ibig sabihin pala noon ay napaka-negative. People who always see the bad things in life, the negative things in life. And sometimes, they refuse to see what is positive. That is why they are filled with negative energy.

In our Readings for today, we see the same kind of attitude. People who are really 'nega'. For example, in our First Reading, there was a giant named Goliath, who was insulting the Israelites, asking them if they have any warrior who they can draw against him. Then what happened? There was a simple shepherd boy named David who said, "I will not allow this uncircumcised Philistine to insult the true God of Israel."

Pero ano ang sagot ng mga kababayan ni David? "You are just a boy. You're just a shepherd boy. You're simply a youth. You are not a warrior." So all these people surrounding David were 'nega' people. They only see the bad thing or the bad element in people. They refuse to see the positive. Mabuti na lang, David was not consumed with the same attitude. What did David say? "Even though I am just a shepherd boy, with God at my side, I shall conquer Him." So it all depends on what attitude we have.

In our Gospel, what did we hear? We heard about the miraculous cure of a man with a withered hand. And why did Jesus cure the man with a withered hand? Hands are our symbol of accomplishing things, of doing things. And the reason why Jesus healed the man with a withered hand, is because He wanted the man to achieve more in life. With a fully operating hand, the man could achieve something better than he is today.

What can we learn from this Gospel episode? It is clear in the Bible, Jesus tells us to be content with what we have. But He does not tell us to be content with who we are. But the problem is most of us are easily content with who we are, but we are never content with what we have. Who we are is better than what we have. And that is what the Bible is encouraging us to hope for. Never be content with who you are.

Sana, every time we wake up in the morning, that will be part of our goal. Lord, may I be a better parent today than yesterday. May I be a better mother or father today than yesterday. May I be a better child, a better person, a better worker, a better Christian today than yesterday. The moment we become contented with who we are, that is the time that we stop growing.

Jesus healed the man with a withered hand, because He wanted the man to accomplish more, not to be confined with his disability. Jesus wants us to become more. St. Ignatius calls this 'the spirituality of the magis''. 'Magis' is the Latin word for 'more'. It is the origin of the word 'magnanimous' or 'grand'. And that is the will of God for us. Jesus said in the Gospel of John, "I came, that they may have life, and have it to the full." God knows the desires of our heart.

Yes, Jesus tells us to be content with what we have, but let us never be content with who we are. Every day, let us make it our aim to become a better person, to become a better disciple, to become a better Christian, to become a better follower of the Lord. We pray for this grace as we continue with our Eucharist. Amen.

Gospel Reflection

October 30, 2013

Wednesday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

by Rev. Fr. Joel Jason (Dean of Studies, Graduate School of Theology San Carlos Seminary)
12:15PM Mass, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord (SM Megamall Chapel)

Reading 1 Rom 8:26-30

Brothers and sisters: The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the holy ones  according to God’s will.

We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 13:4-5, 6

R. (6a) My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.
Look, answer me, O LORD, my God!
Give light to my eyes that I may not sleep in death
lest my enemy say, “I have overcome him”;
lest my foes rejoice at my downfall.
R. My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.
Though I trusted in your mercy,
Let my heart rejoice in your salvation;
let me sing of the LORD, “He has been good to me.”
R. My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.

Gospel Lk 13:22-30

Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them,  “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’ Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

HOMILY

Dahil malapit na po ang Undas at ginugunita natin ang Araw ng mga Patay, naalala ko po 'yong kwento noong isang lalaki na dinalaw ng Anghel ng Kamatayan - the Angel of Death. When the Angel of Death appeared to the man, he said, 'It is now your time to die today, because your name is on the top of my list, and I always follow this list.' Kinabahan 'yong lalaki. So ang ginawa noong lalaki, kumuha muna siya ng pagkain, and then pinakain niya 'yong Angel of Death. Pero 'yong pagkain na 'yon, merong sleeping pills. So when the Angel of Death ate it, he fell asleep. And while the Angel of Death was sleeping, the man took the list and erased his name on top of the list, and put it at the very bottom. So natuwa na siya, nakangiti na siya. When the Angel of Death woke up, he said, 'Ah...you have been very good. You gave me food, and I was able to sleep after eating it. As a reward, I will begin from the bottom of my list.' (loud laughs) Ayan....so, siya rin ang mauuna ano. Sabi nga ng Gospel, '....some who are first will be last, and some who are last will be first'.

Alam po ninyo, in our Gospel for today, Jesus was asked a very simple but important question. 'Lord, ilan kaya ang maliligtas? Kakaunti lang kaya ang maliligtas?' The man who asked that question was a little bit....siguro may konting kayabangan 'yong tanong, eh. Siguro itong lalaking lumapit sa Panginoon, he was someone who was very knowledgeable of the law. He, perhaps, was someone who was very religious. Kaya ang pakiramdam niya, isa siya sa mga 'few who will be saved'. Kaya ang yabang ng tanong niya sa Panginoon, eh.

And as a response, what did Jesus say? Jesus said that salvation is not a matter of belonging in a list. It is not a matter of maybe buying yourself into, or out of the list. The essence of the salvation is not scholarship or knowledge of the law, or knowledge about Jesus. The essence of salvation is, ultimately, relationship - a relationship with God, and not scholarship. And that is why we should change our question.

At sa araw na ito, 'yon ang magandang itanong natin. Paano ba ako maliligtas? Am I going to be saved, because my name is listed in the names of those who are baptized? Am I going to be saved, because my name is listed among the members of the Catholic Church? Not necessarily. What is the Lord reminding us today? To strive to enter through the narrow gate. Ang ating kaligtasan ay nakasalalay sa ating pang-araw-araw na gawi, at 'yong ating araw-araw na pagsasabuhay ng ating pananampalataya.

Ang ibig sabihin, whenever we go out of the chapel....pwede kasing mangyari niyan na nagkakaroon tayo ng transformation. Halimbawa po dito sa loob ng chapel ay napakabait nating lahat, ano....pero pag labas natin diyan sa chapel, isusuot na natin ang ating mga sungay, at ise-celebrate na natin ang Halloween. Dito sa chapel ang sinasamba natin ay ang Panginoon. Paglabas natin mamaya, magmumukha na tayong mga maligno, mga demonyo.

Kagabi, doon sa balita, tinanong 'yong mga tao. Kasi po ang CBCP, nagpalabas ng paalala sa mga tao, that we should Christianize our celebration of Halloween. Because the way we celebrate Halloween today is not really Christian anymore. Eh ang origin naman ng Halloween ay talagang very Christian. Originally, Halloween is Hallow's Eve, when we celebrate the eve of All Saints' Day. And when is All Saints' Day? November 1. That is why on October 31, we celebrate Hallows' Eve. Ano ba 'yong meaning ng 'hallow'? Hindi mababaw ha. 'Hallow' means 'holy'. That is why whenever we pray the 'Our Father', we say '...hallowed be Thy Name...' Maging banal nawa ang Iyong Pangalan. And so, October 31 is actually a Christian celebration of the Eve of All Saints. Kaya lang ano'ng ginawa ng kultura? Unti-unting binago 'yan eh. Instead of the celebration of all saints, naging celebration na ito ng all demons and devils. Kaya 'yong mga bata, dinadamitan natin nang kung anu-anong mga nakakatakot na kasuotan.

Doon po sa mga medyo matatanda na dito, inabutan n'yo pa po ba 'yong 'nangangaluluwa'? Meron pa po bang nangangaluluwa ngayon? Wala na po yata. Pero noon yata, ang sabi ng mga matatanda, during Hallow's Eve, meron daw pong mga nangangaluluwa. Ano po ang ginagawa ng mga nangangaluluwa? Hindi po sila nananakot. They are not dressed like devils. Ang ginagawa ng mga nangangaluluwa, sila'y pumupunta sa mga bahay-bahay, kumakanta, and they are offering prayers for those who are departed, nang sa gayon 'yong mga yumao ay makabalik o makapasok sa kaharian ng langit. That was the origin of the Pinoy celebration of Hallow's Eve. Eh kaya lang ngayon, medyo gaya-gaya tayo eh. Gusto nating ginagawa 'yong nasa Kanluran. Therefore, we want to do trick-or-treat, tapos dadamitan natin ng mga maskarang mukhang aswang at tiyanak 'yong mga bata. (laughs)

The CBCP tells us that instead of dressing our little children like devils, let us dress them up like what? Maybe heroes. Or more properly, even like saints. Why? Para mas makilala ng ating mga bata 'yong mga banal. Dahil katulad nga po ng sinabi ko kanina, Christianity is not a matter of scholarship, but relationship. At magandang habang bata pa lang ay unti-unti nang nakikilala ng mga bata kung sino ba itong mga banal na ito, and we begin to introduce them to the lives of the saints, so that we, ourselves, as adults, will be challenged to live according to the lives of the saints, so that we can mirror them to our children. This is the way to our salvation. Hindi sapat na sabihin nating 'Panginoon, nakapagsimba naman ako, eh. Siguro maliligtas na ako.' No. In every moment of our life, we are to live out our Christianity.

May isang babaeng in-interview sa TV kagabi. Tinanong siya, 'Sang-ayon ka ba na ipagbabawal ng CBCP na magdamit demonyo 'yong mga bata?' Ang sabi ng babae, 'Eh...all throughout the year naman, si Jesus naman at si Mary ay nasa puso na natin, eh. Maganda namang once a year....' (laughs) Sabi ko, ano'ng ibig niyang sabihin? Once a year, demonyo naman (loud laughs) ang nasa puso mo. Minsan gano'n tayo mag-isip ano. No. Dapat, all throughout the year, Jesus will be in our hearts. And that is why Jesus is telling us - try to enter through the narrow gate. Because every day, our Christian life will be called to task.

As we continue this Holy Eucharist, we pray for that grace, that we may live our Christianity, year in and year out. Amen.

Gospel Reflection

October 23, 2013

Wednesday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

by Rev. Fr. Joel Jason (Dean of Studies, Graduate School of Theology San Carlos Seminary)
12:15PM Mass, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord (SM Megamall Chapel)

Reading 1 Rom 6:12-18

Brothers and sisters: Sin must not reign over your mortal bodies so that you obey their desires. And do not present the parts of your bodies to sin as weapons for wickedness,  but present yourselves to God as raised from the dead to life and the parts of your bodies to God as weapons for righteousness.  For sin is not to have any power over you, since you are not under the law but under grace.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace?  Of course not! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, although you were once slaves of sin, you have become obedient from the heart to the pattern of teaching to which you were entrusted. Freed from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness.

Responsorial Psalm PS 124:1b-3, 4-6, 7-8

R. (8a) Our help is in the name of the Lord.
Had not the LORD been with us,
let Israel say, had not the LORD been with us–
When men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive;
When their fury was inflamed against us.
R. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
Then would the waters have overwhelmed us;
The torrent would have swept over us;
over us then would have swept the raging waters.
Blessed be the LORD, who did not leave us
a prey to their teeth.
R. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
We were rescued like a bird
from the fowlers’ snare;
Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our help is in the name of the Lord.

Gospel Lk 12:39-48

Jesus said to his disciples:  “Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly.  Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

HOMILY

If you have been going to our Holy Eucharist since Monday, you will notice that our Readings, especially today's First Reading and our Gospel, speak of a common theme. And what is the theme that is being discussed since Monday? It is the theme of servanthood. The theme of surrendering to the Lord. The theme of allowing the Lord to be Lord of our life. 

Tamang tama. Ano ba ang original word or root word of the word 'Lord'? It comes from the Latin word 'dominus', where we get the word 'domination'. And so, in a way, our Gospel is telling us to let us allow the Lord to dominate us. 

And for the modern man, whenever we hear the word 'domination', we are allergic to that word. Ayaw nating marinig ang ganyang mga salita. For example, in our First Reading for today in the letter of St. Paul to the Romans, Paul kept on referring to himself as the slave of the Lord. Imagine calling himself a slave. In our modern parlance, in our modern milieu, we don't use the word 'slave' anymore, because the term 'slave' has a negative connotation. 

And in our Gospel for today, Jesus gives us a parable of Christians awaiting the return of the Master, although in our Gospel for today, the word being used is already 'servants'. But when we look at the original Greek word that was used in the Gospel, it is 'doulos', which literally also means 'slave', not a 'servant'. So, both the First Reading and the Gospel are consistent in telling us that we need to be slaves before the Lord. 

But how are we going to understand it? We will only be able to appreciate the meaning of the term if we purify it with our modern-day understanding. Kasi, sa panahon natin ngayon, when we hear the word 'slave', ang naaalala natin ay mga alipin. But in the Gospel, whenever the word 'slave' is being used, it only refers to the overall effect and influence of God in every area of our life. Meaning, the Lord will truly be 'dominus'. He will dominate each and every aspect and dimension of our life. And that is what it means to be a slave before the Lord. 

I remember reading a quote from a philosopher who said, "....better to reign in hell, than to serve in heaven." Why? Because we are allergic to the word 'service'. Because whenever we hear the word 'service' or 'slavery', we look at it as an anti-thesis to our own freedom and our own dignity. 

And yet, in our Gospel for today, Jesus reminds us - do not be afraid to surrender yourself to the dominion of the Lord. Why? Because the master-slave mentality does not exist in the Gospel. Why? Because when Jesus came, He already changed and purified the meaning of the word 'Master'. Before the coming of the Lord, the word 'Master' refers to someone who dominates the slave. But when Jesus came, what did He do? He purified and changed the meaning of the word 'Master'. And how do we comprehend the word 'Master' now? Jesus is the One who came, not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

This means that ever since the Incarnation, the word 'Master' is already understood in a different way in the Gospel. Kaya nga sa ating simbahan ngayon, you often hear the word 'servant-leader'. This term is derivative of the meaning of 'Master' in the Gospels. 'Master' is no longer one who dominates. 'Master' is now one who donates and gives himself and gives his life for many. 

So sa araw na ito, ano ang pwede nating gawin? How do we understand or exercise the word 'Master'? I'm sure, all of us here, we are all masters in our little capacities. So how do we exercise the position of being a master? Second, we can also ask ourselves. How do we react, or how do we embrace the meaning of the word 'servant'? Are we allergic to the word 'servant'? Are we unnecessarily afraid of the word 'servant'? And therefore, are we also afraid to surrender ourself to the domination of God? 

In our Gospel for today, Jesus telling us how blessed we are when we expect the coming of the Lord in the spirit of servanthood. As we continue in this Holy Mass, let that be the grace that we will ask from the Lord. Lord, it is in surrendering to You, that we become more free. And it is in surrendering to Your dominion, that true freedom will be given to us. Amen.