Joy of Quotes

Perspective is everything.
What looks like a monster through the magnifying glass
is only a harmless house spider to the naked eye.

A happy heart is good medicine.
Proverbs 17:22 AMP

Gospel Reflection

September 10, 2012

Monday – Weekday

by Rev. Fr. Joy Ramos

Afternoon mass at EDSA Shrine, Our Lady of Peace Quasi-Parish

First Reading:               1 Corinthians 5:1-8
Psalm:                          Psalm 5:5-7, 12

Gospel:                         Luke 6:6-11      

6 On another sabbath, when he entered the synagogue and taught, a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Come and stand here." And he rose and stood there. 9 And Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?" 10 And he looked around on them all, and said to him, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

HOMILY

The Readings and the Gospel that we just heard is a reflection of God's own generosity. And when we talk of God's generosity, we talk about God's love for His people. If we will quote again the Gospel Reading, it says, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" Looking at the context of the Gospel, we can see that there were Pharisees and Scribes trying to watch Jesus closely, to see if He will do something on Sabbath Day. Indeed, on that day, Jesus healed a man who had a withered right hand.

Looking back on our personal experiences of God's generosity, today's Gospel gives us consolation on how God freely gives gifts to us so that we can share them to others. Sadly, oftentimes we are like the Pharisees. We always look at others and see only that which is bad, then we make judgments. But if we are to embrace God's generosity, we will be able to understand and empathize with others. We pray in today's Eucharist na matuto tayong maghanap ng kabutihan sa halip na maghanap ng kasaaman sa ating kapwa. If we are going to identify with the Scribes and the Pharisees, our own goal in life is to look only for the wrong and the bad in others, like what they did to Jesus. But if we are rooted on God's generosity, our goal will always be to look for goodness. Let us pray that the Lord may lead us into His justice so that we may be able to empathize with others, especially those whom we find hard to live with. Let us pray that when we go back to our work place, when we go back to our families, we can embrace the love that God has shared to us in this Celebration.

Gospel Reflection

September 09, 2012

Sunday

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

by Rev. Fr. Stephen Mifsud (Mission Society of St. Paul  – Quezon City)

MSSP House Chapel / Mass for the poor)

First Reading:                Isaiah 35:4-7
Psalm:                          Psalm 146:7-10

Second Reading            James 2:1-5

Gospel:                         Mark 7:31-37    

31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decap'olis. 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they besought him to lay his hand upon him. 33 And taking him aside from the multitude privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue; 34 and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, "Eph'phatha," that is, "Be opened." 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 And he charged them to tell no one; but the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.”

HOMILY

Can you imagine your life being deaf and cannot speak.

You watch the tv and cannot hear the words, opening the radio or mp3 and cannot hear, someone calls the phone and cannot here. Someone wants to give you a good news and you cannot hear it.  You want to ask something and you cannot talk.  How lonely, cut from the world and difficult?

So you have to imagine how awkward and difficult the life of this person was before he met Jesus.

Why did Jesus heal him?

First. Jesus is the Messiah which means Savior. Jesus wants to save everyone including this poor man.

Second. Jesus heals him because he is compassionate.  He heals not to show how capable he is, not to praise himself, or because he is proud.  The action of Jesus shows his motivation. Jesus takes this deaf man aside from the multitude privately… alone.. Why? He did not want to make a show out of him or to embarrass him.

Not like the politicians.  When they give something to the poor or victims of floods they make sure there will be the tv camera and newspapers photographer and journalists.  Jesus does not want votes or popularity but he wants a personal relationship.  And I could see this in the action of  Jesus.  Before he touched his mouth he spat … first reaction is “yuck”!  But think a bit.  I don’t you, but for me the first thing it comes to mind when I hear  saliva touching the lips … is a kiss.    Jesus did not kiss him on the lips… (hindi siya bakla) but he is saying to him, I love you, I want to be part of your life I want to heal you. 

Third. Jesus heals him to give hope also to us.  All of us are in a way deaf.
Sometimes we do not hear the cry of those in need.  We pretend not to listen to the problems of others.  Sometimes we do not listen to the Word of God and sometimes we do not talk to Jesus.

So today Jesus is inviting us to do like this deaf man.

•  To search for Jesus.  Where is Jesus?.. he can be in the church, in prayer group, ... but also in a quiet place
• Go alone with him. Listen to him and speak with him in your heart.
• Set some time every day in his presence, a healing presence indeed .
• Let him touch you.  If you feel that he wants to heal you from your past from your sins, don’t say “no its imposible”  but believe he can do anything.
• Open your heart to hear the Word ‘effetah’ buksan.  Effetah is the only Word in Aramaic that we find in the gospel of St. Mark.  So it is very important.

Jesus is saying Effetah to us. To each one of us

To us adults he is saying be open to creativity, to change in your heart, to change your thoughts, your way of life.  Be open to new challenges in life.  Be open to see the wonders of God in our lives.  Open your arms to help, to hug, to heal.  Open your mouth to proclaim how good the Lord is, how loving and merciful he is with you.  May others arrive at Jesus through our witness.