Gospel Reflection

August 22, 2012

Wednesday

The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Memorial)

by Msgr. Bong Lo

Megamall

Reading 1, Ezekiel 34:1-11

¹ The word of Yahweh was addressed to me as follows,² 'Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them, "Shepherds, the Lord Yahweh says this: Disaster is in store for the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Are not shepherds meant to feed a flock? ³ Yet you have fed on milk, you have dressed yourselves in wool, you have sacrificed the fattest sheep, but failed to feed the flock. ⁴ You have failed to make weak sheep strong, or to care for the sick ones, or bandage the injured ones. You have failed to bring back strays or look for the lost. On the contrary, you have ruled them cruelly and harshly. ⁵ For lack of a shepherd they have been scattered, to become the prey of all the wild animals; they have been scattered. ⁶ My flock is astray on every mountain and on every high hill; my flock has been scattered all over the world; no one bothers about them and no one looks for them. ⁷ "Very well, shepherds, hear the word of Yahweh: ⁸ As I live, I swear it -- declares the Lord Yahweh -- since my flock has been pillaged and for lack of a shepherd is now the prey of every wild animal, since my shepherds have ceased to bother about my flock, since my shepherds feed themselves rather than my flock, ⁹ very well, shepherds, hear the word of Yahweh: ¹⁰ The Lord Yahweh says this: Look, I am against the shepherds. I shall take my flock out of their charge and henceforth not allow them to feed my flock. And the shepherds will stop feeding themselves, because I shall rescue my sheep from their mouths to stop them from being food for them. ¹¹ "For the Lord Yahweh says this: Look, I myself shall take care of my flock and look after it.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6

¹ Yahweh my shepherd, I lack nothing. ² In grassy meadows he lets me lie. By tranquil streams he leads me ³ to restore my spirit. He guides me in paths of saving justice befits his name.⁴ Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death I should fear no danger, for you are at my side. Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me. ⁵ You prepare a table for me under the eyes of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup brims over. ⁶ Kindness and faithful love pursue me every day of my life. I make my home in the house of Yahweh all time come.

Gospel, Matthew 20:1-16

¹ 'Now the kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner going out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. ² He made an agreement with the workers for one denarius a day and sent them to his vineyard. ³ Going out at about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place ⁴ and said to them, "You go to my vineyard too and I will give you a fair wage." ⁵ So they went. At about the sixth hour and again at about the ninth hour, he went out and did the same. ⁶ Then at about the eleventh hour he went out and found more men standing around, and he said to them, "Why have you been standing here idle all day?" ⁷ "Because no one has hired us," they answered. He said to them, "You go into my vineyard too." ⁸ In the evening, the owner of the vineyard said to his bailiff, "Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last arrivals and ending with the first." ⁹ So those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came forward and received one denarius each. ¹⁰ When the first came, they expected to get more, but they too received one denarius each. ¹¹ They took it, but grumbled at the landowner saying, ¹² "The men who came last have done only one hour, and you have treated them the same as us, though we have done a heavy day's work in all the heat." ¹³ He answered one of them and said, "My friend, I am not being unjust to you; did we not agree on one denarius? ¹⁴ Take your earnings and go. I choose to pay the last comer as much as I pay you. ¹⁵ Have I no right to do what I like with my own? Why should you be envious because I am generous?" ¹⁶ Thus the last will be first, and the first, last.'

HOMILY

Is God good in mathematics? In the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus spoke about the shepherd leaving the 99 sheep so He can look for the 1 lost sheep. Imagine leaving the 99 in search of 1? When Jesus spoke about forgiveness, He said we should forgive, not only 7 times, but 70 times 7 times (when Jesus was actually saying we should forgive, always and forever). And at the Gospel today, he spoke about the owner of the vineyard who gave the same, exact wage to his workers, whether they worked in the morning, or worked in the late afternoon. By these examples, God seems to be not good in mathematics.


But then again, God does not think the way we think. Our God is more than a God of math. Our God is a God of love, of charity, of compassion. In today's Gospel, God knows that the workers needed the same wage for their family, whether they worked in the morning or late in the afternoon. He wanted to help the workers, and paid them according to the wage that was agreed upon. God is full of mercy and is a very generous God. Of course, we may feel uneasy or uncomfortable after reading the Gospel, but our thinking is not the thinking of God. We may think that God was unfair, but He was actually not. He was being very generous. That is why the "last will be first, and the first will be last".


We should not ask God to be fair and just, the way we understand the concept of "fairness and justice". If we asked Him to be just, in the manner that we understand it, then no one can be saved. No one can attain fullness of life. No one can enter the Kingdom of heaven. Like God, let us go beyond justice, and be merciful. We may be good in mathematics, yes, but let us not be calculating. God, as a good Shepherd, has better mathematics. 

Monsignor Bong Lo then related the Gospel to the Memorial of the Queenship of Mama Mary, which we also celebrated today. He said that we should understand God's Kingdom, not according to how we understand it. Kasi ang concept natin ng kingdom ay may hari na namumuno sa lahat at nasusunod sa lahat, at mayroon siyang reyna. God's Kingdom is totally different. To be in God's Kingdom, we should not be a slave of sin, not a slave of selfishness, not a slave of bad habits, but be free citizens in the reign of God, which is a reign of truth, of charity, of compassion, of forgiveness. 

 

As we honor the Memorial of the Queenship of Mary, let us remember that our Blessed Mother was faithful to God. She trusted God and allowed God to reign over her. That is why she is also a Queen of goodness and of compassion. Let us allow God's Kingdom to reign over us, and be instruments of love, of truth, of peace, of generosity, that we may share with God's glory, and one day become princes and princesses in the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

Gospel Reading for The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Memorial)

First Reading:               Isaiah 9:1-6

Psalm:                         Psalm 113:1-8

Gospel:                        Luke 1:26-38    

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34 And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" 35 And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36 And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible." 38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Gospel Reflection

August 21, 2012

Tuesday

St. Pius X, Pope (Memorial)

by Rev. Fr. Catalino Arevalo

Edsa Shrine

First Reading:               Ezekiel 28:1-10

Psalm:                         Deuteronomy 32:26-28, 30, 35-36

Gospel:                        Matthew 19:23-30         

23 And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 25 When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" 26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 27 Then Peter said in reply, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall we have?" 28 Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many that are first will be last, and the last first.

HOMILY

Although the Gospel today spoke about the difficulty of a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God, Fr. Arevalo did not touch on that but opted to reflect more on Ninoy’s memorial. He said that just as Jesus has freely given and sacrificed His Body and Blood as a gift to us and as partaken by us in the Eucharist, our life should also be a life of self-giving like Ninoy and also of constant faith like that of Pope St. Pious X.

We should take courage and inspiration in the example of the saints who gave their lives without condition for love of God, and also of Ninoy, who selflessly dedicated and gave up his life for his country.

He also spoke about DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo whose plane crashed recently in Masbate seas and whose body was recovered just this morning. Fr. Arevalo said that Sec. Robredo was one of the few honest government officials who, for years, did not enrich himself while in position, and who remained humble and committed to genuine service. He is a gift of God to the P-noy administration. He ends by saying that may our lives be self-giving as theirs, not necessarily to die, but in our own way, as “greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13)

Pope St. Pius X – Pray for us

Gospel Reflection

August 20, 2012

Monday

St. Bernard, Abbot, Doctor of the Church (Memorial)

by Rev. Fr. Montecarlo Veloria (Shrine of the Our Lady of Mercy, Novaliches)

and Rev. Fr. Ricadal (St. Anthony de Padua, Easter Samar)

Mass at Megamall, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord

First Reading:               Ezekiel 24:15-23

Psalm:                         Deuteronomy 32:18-21

Gospel:                        Matthew 19:16-22         

16 And behold, one came up to him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" 17 And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." 18 He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 20 The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.

HOMILY

The Gospel today is about Jesus telling a young man to observe the 10 commandments and also to sell all that he has and give them to the poor, if he wishes to be perfect and if he wishes to follow Jesus. "The young man went away sad, because he had too many possessions."
Ang mga blessings at graces ni God ay hindi mapapantayan ng pera. Pwede ka ngang bumili ng pinakamahal na kama, pero hindi mo pwedeng bilhin ang masarap na tulog. Pwede kang bumili ng pinakamahal na pagkain sa pinakamahal na restaurant, pero hindi mo pwedeng bilhin ang appetite. And so on and so forth.

Maraming bagay sa mundo ang hindi nabibili ng kahit gaanong kayamanan at hindi naman natin madadala ang mga kayamanang materyal pag babalik na tayo kay God. Ang mga bagay na materyal ay may hangganan, ngunit ang biyaya ng kaligtasan ng Diyos ay panghabang panahon.
Yes, may mga kayamanan din tayong materyal ngunit ang lahat ng ito ay galing din sa Diyos - pagsumikapan nating ibahagi ito sa ating kapwa, lalong lalo na sa mga nangangailangan. Sa ating buhay ngayon, lagi tayong binibigyan ng Diyos ng pagkakataon na mag-ipon ng mga kayamanang pang-langit kaya ipagdasal natin na gabayan tayo lagi ng Diyos na magawa nating ipunin ang mga ito.
Heavenly treasures.......

 

St. Bernard, Abbot – Pray for us

 

Gospel Reflection

August 19, 2012

Sunday

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Greenbelt

First Reading:               Proverbs 9:1-6

Psalm:                         Psalm 34:2-7

Second Reading:          Ephesians 5:15-20

Gospel:                        John 6:51-58    

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh." 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53 So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; 54 he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever."

HOMILY

Jesus offered His Body to us as our food for eternal life. What is the challenge for us, given that Jesus has given Himself as the Bread of Life? Father gives us 4 points/challenge.

First, accepting Jesus’s Body should make us grow into a DEEPER Closer Relationship with God. As we grow in intimacy with God, we should also develop good relations with each other.

Second, we should also GROW IN WISDOM. In my life, am I wiser and stand up for what is good, no matter what? Siyasatin daw natin – pagkatapos ko bang magmisa o manggaling sa simbahan, nag grow ba ako? Nagiging mas mabuti at maunawain ba ako sa aking kapwa?

Third, receiving Jesus’ Body means CONVERSION. We should open our hearts, turn away from our bad habits and attitudes, and change our ways. Nagbago na ba ang buhay natin tungo sa kabutihan o tayo ay nananatili pa rin sa ating maling ugali at ginagawa?

Fourth, receiving Jesus means being DEVOTED TO THE EUCHARIST. Tayo ba ay pinipilit pa para lang magsimba? Are we excited to go to mass and receive Holy Communion? Do we actively participate in the mass?

We should pray to God for the grace to grow in intimacy with God, grow in wisdom, have a change of heart, and be more devoted to the Eucharist, so that Jesus’ Body, the food of our soul, may nourish us with all grace and blessings. 

Gospel Reflection

August 18, 2012

Saturday

Anticipated Sunday Mass (Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Greenbelt

First Reading:               Proverbs 9:1-6

Psalm:                         Psalm 34:2-7

Second Reading:           Ephesians 5:15-20

Gospel:                        John 6:51-58    

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh." 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53 So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; 54 he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever."

HOMILY

The Sunday Gospel is about “Jesus as the Living Bread. Whoever eats this Bread will live forever”. The Gospel reminds us that Jesus loves us so much that He shared His Body and Blood to us. Every time we take His Body and Blood, we are in communion with Christ and receive the blessings and miracles of God’s love. We are in God and God is in us, kaya like Jesus, huwag tayong magdamot sa ating kapwa at maging mabuti sa iba.

Gospel Reflection

August 18, 2012

Saturday

Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

by Rev. Fr. Joseph Gil Alonso, Parochial Vicar, Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Makati

Mass at the Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel, Greenbelt, Makati

First Reading:               Ezekiel 18:1-10, 13, 30-32

Psalm:                         Psalm 51:12-15, 18-19

Gospel:                        Matthew 19:13-15         

13 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people; 14 but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away.

HOMILY

The Gospel is about “the Kingdom of God belonging to little children”. People see children as insignificant, irrelevant and a nuisance. But for Jesus, they are role models for discipleship. Kasi sila ay obedient (and even imitate God), helpless and dependent on God, hindi nagpapaligsahan sa posisyon, hindi nagtatanim ng galit.

We have to have the traits of little children and recognize our limitations – na ang lahat ay magagawa natin dahil sa Diyos at dahil kasama natin Siya. Yes may kakayahan nga tayo at galling, pero ang lahat ng ito ay binigay sa atin ng Diyos. At the same time, gabayan din natin ang lahat ng mga bata para sundin ang commandments ni God. Tulungan natin sila sa kanilang mga pangangailangan at maging mabuting ehemplo tayo sa kanila.

Gospel Reflection

August 17, 2012

Friday

Weekday

By Rev. Fr. Richard Babao (Ecumenical Minister)

Megamall

First Reading:   Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63 or Ezekiel 16:59-63         

Psalm:             Isaiah 12:2-6     

Gospel:            Matthew 19:3-12                       

3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?" 4 He answered, "Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, `For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder." 7 They said to him, "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?" 8 He said to them, "For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries commits adultery." 10 The disciples said to him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry." 11 But he said to them, "Not all men can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. 12 For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it."

HOMILY

The Gospel today focused on our commitment to our vocation, whether it be single-blessedness or religious, but great emphasis was given to husbands and wives. No husband should divorce his wife. Those who are meant to accept ought to accept.

God loved Israel so much that He remains faithful to it up to this day, even if Israel has become conceited or self-centered in the past. Such should be the commitment and faithfulness that couples should devote to each other.

Ano man ang maging vocation mo, just be faithful and committed to do good. 

Gospel Reflection

August 16, 2012

Thursday

Weekday

by Rev. Fr.  Allan (Immaculate  Conception Church – Las Pinas)

Mass at Megamall, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord

First Reading:   Ezekiel 12:1-2   

Psalm:             Psalm 78:56-59, 61-62

Gospel:            Matthew 18:21 -- 19:1                

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. 23 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; 25 and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27 And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, `Pay what you owe.' 29 So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30 He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; 33 and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' 34 And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."

HOMILY

The Gospel talks about Jesus saying that we should forgive, not only seven times, but seventy-times seven times. Nais ni Hesus na yon ang gawin natin – ang magpatawad sa kapwa, hanggat siya ay nagsisisi. Kasi yon ang ginagawa ni Hesus sa atin. In fact, God entered into six covenants with man. Kahit nasira ng tao ang mga covenants na yun ay pinatawad pa rin tayo ni God. At ang final covenant nga sa atin ni God ay si Hesus mismo.

Kung marunong tayong magpatawad, kailangan din na tayo ay matutong magsisi sa ating mga pagkakamali at humingi ng tawad. We have to be contrite and sincerely sorry for our sins. We should seek God’s forgiveness and change our ways.