Gospel Reflection

January 20, 2013

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year of Faith 

by Most Rev. Bishop Honesto F. Ongtioco, D.D., (Bishop of Cubao)

6:00PM, Tagalog Sunday Anticipated Mass (Sto. Nino Fiesta High Mass)

Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel (Greenbelt Chapel), Makati

                         

Reading 1 Is 62:1-5

For Zion’s sake I will not be silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her vindication shines forth like the dawn and her victory like a burning torch.

Nations shall behold your vindication, and all the kings your glory; you shall be called by a new name pronounced by the mouth of the LORD. You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD, a royal diadem held by your God. No more shall people call you “Forsaken, “ or your land “Desolate, “ but you shall be called “My Delight, “ and your land “Espoused.” For the LORD delights in you and makes your land his spouse. As a young man marries a virgin, your Builder shall marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10

R. (3) Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Worship the LORD in holy attire.
Tremble before him, all the earth;
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He governs the peoples with equity.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Reading 2 1 Cor 12:4-11

Brothers and sisters: There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;  there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another, the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another, faith by the same Spirit; to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another, mighty deeds; to another, prophecy; to another, discernment of spirits; to another, varieties of tongues; to another, interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.

Gospel Jn 2:1-11

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it.  And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from — although the servers who had drawn the water knew —, the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.

HOMILY

Maaari po bang ilagay natin ang ating kanang kamay sa ibabaw ng ating puso? Tayo po ay mananalangin nang sama-sama. Tayo po ay binubuhay ng Diyos sa kanyang pagmamahal dahil kung aalisin ng Diyos ang Kanyang kamay, mawawala po tayong parang bula. Kaya sumunod kayo sa ating panalangin.

Mapagmahal naming Ama, salamat po sa pagtitipong ito. Nagpapasalamat po kami sa maraming biyayang Iyong ipinagkaloob sa aming pamayanan. Sa 29 years po naming pagpipista sa Sto. Nino de Paz chapel, salamat po sa pagsugo sa Iyong anak. Siya ang liwanag ng aming buhay kung saan nababalot sa dilim ang mga tao. Maraming kadiliming bumabalot sa aming buhay, sa aming lipunan. Karahasan, kasalanan, kurakot, hindi tama, hindi matuwid na pamumuhay. Halina Hesus, halina. Hayaan Mo sanang tanglawan kami ng Inyong liwanag, upang magkaroon ng direksyon ang paglalakbay ng Iyong bayan, lalong lalo na sa taon ng pananampalataya.

Harinawa, laging bukas ang aming puso, ang aming damdamin sa Iyong palaging pagbibisita at hindi mabilang-bilang na biyaya at grasya na Iyong ipinagkakaloob. Kadalasan, kami ay bulag o kaya kami po ay tumatalikod sa Iyo. Tanging Ikaw lamang ang aming pag-asa, buhay at kaligtasan.

Isugo mo ang iyong Banal na Espiritu, upang muling umalab ang aming pananampalataya at ito ay makita sa aming kilos, desisyon, at sa mga mahahalagang bagay. Naway maging maka-Diyos ang lahat ng aming gawain. Hinihiling namin ito sa pamamagitan ng Panginoong Hesukristo, kasama ng Espiritu Santo, magpasawalang hanggan. Amen.

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(sa masiglang pananalita) Isang maganda at mabiyayang gabi po sa inyong lahat. Batiin natin 'yong katabi ninyo, "Happy Fiesta!" (sumunod ang lahat) Sa pagsasalita ng Diyos, makinig ka, hindi lamang sa iyong mga tenga, ngunit lalo na sa iyong puso. Tingnan natin ang ating katabi at sabihin natin, "Sana, huwag ka munang kunin ni Lord." (tawanan)

Meron pa tayong misyon kaya narito tayo. Muli nating kinikilala ang kapistahan ng ating Sto. Nino, ang ating ipinagdiriwang. Tanging sa Pilipinas lamang po ito, na may extension ang ating pagse-celebrate o pagdiriwang ng Pasko. Maraming simbahan halos tinanggal na 'yong mga Christmas decor dahil po noong isang Linggo, kapistahan na po ng the Lord's Baptism, and then after that, we go into Ordinary Time. Kaya lang po, we have a special permission from Rome. The third Sunday is the Feast of the Sto. Nino.

At marami na tayong kapistahan na ipinagdiriwang. Nais ng Diyos na lumago ang ating pananampalataya, ang ating pakikipag-ugnayan sa Diyos. Kung minsan hindi malalim. Kamakailan lang, noong January 9 ay ating ipinagdiwang ang kapistahan ng....hello?....ng Nazareno. May iba't ibang manifestation at pagpapahayag ng pananampalataya ang mga tao, pero minsan, nakikitang hindi pa masyadong hinog, hindi pa masyadong malalim.

Gano'n din po sa kapistahan ng Sto. Nino ngayon at bukas. Makikita n'yo 'yong iba't ibang bihis ng Sto. Nino. Minsan naka-basketball attire siya. Kung minsan, nagpunta po ako sa barbero, maski di po kayo maniwala (itataas ang sumbrero para makita ang ulong kalbo na sa ibabaw) ay nagpapagupit po ako (tawanan), ay marami kang makikitang bihis ng Sto. Nino. Iniingatan natin ang ating mga Sto. Nino, parang ginagawang baby ng ibang tao. So medyo hindi pa malalim. Sabi natin, sana hindi panlabas 'yong pagdiriwang, 'yong pagpapahalaga sa Sto. Nino. Dahil narinig po natin sa Ebanghelyo na ang ating Panginoon ay naging sanggol, naging bata, naging binata, at noong hinog na ang Kanyang kaisipan at pagkatao, dumating na ang punto na doon nagsimula ang Kanyang misyon na Kanyang tinupad noong Siya ay, more or less, tatlumpong taong gulang, ano po?

 

 

So nais kong magsimula sa isang kwento. Noong minsan, mayroong isang pari na na-assign po sa isang maliit na bayan. At sa kanyang bagong assignment, napansin niya na 'yong mga tao ay hindi masyadong kilala ang kanilang mahal na patron. Kaya naisipan niyang mag-organize ng prusisyon, para makita ng mga tao sa kanilang parokya 'yong kanilang mahal na patron.

So, sa first year ay hindi maraming dumating. Second year, nadagdagan nang kaunti. Pero habang nagpuprusisyon ang mga tao, may napansin, biglang doon sa likod ng karosa, ay may sumamang aso, na nakatawag-pansin sa mga tao. "Wow, may asong kasunod ang karosa." Sa susunod na taon, naku 'yong mga tao nakipag-prusisyon, kasama ang kanilang mga aso. 'Yong iba, binihisan pa.

Mga kapatid, ano ang punto ng kwentong ito? Nawala ang essence, nawala ang puso ng debosyon o kapistahan upang makilala sana ang patron. Napunta sa aso ang atensiyon. Ganoon din sa ating mga debosyon sa iba't ibang santo, lalo na sa Sto. Nino. Baka mauwi sa panlabas lamang po, ano. Huwag nating kalimutan na ito ay isang hamon sa atin...itong pagpipista. Kapag tayo ay may debosyon, isang hamon ito na tularan natin itong ating pinaparangalan. At sa ating kapistahan ngayon, pinaparangalan natin ang batang si Hesus.

Narinig nga natin ang buhay ni Hesus, mula noong Siya ay bata hanggang sa Siya ay napako sa Krus. Isa sa mga mahalagang katangian ni Hesus ay Siya po ay....masunurin. Siya po ay mababa ang loob. Bata man Siya o tumanda, pareho pa rin. Kahit na Diyos, Siya ay nagpakumbaba, upang ang parusang nararapat sa atin na kamatayan ay hindi mapasa-atin, kundi mapasa-Kanya, upang mapalaya tayo sa ating mga kasalanan, sa parusa at kamatayan. Ganyan din dapat ang ating kababaan, ang ating pagkatao. Tularan natin si Hesus, tularan natin ang Kanyang kabanalan, tularan natin ang Kanyang kababaang-loob.

Nais ko pong bigyan natin nang pansin ang tatlong K, ano po? Una, 'yong kababaang-loob. Pangalawa, kabutihan. Pangatlo, kabanalan. 

Ang una po ay kababaang-loob. Alam n'yo, dapat tumulad tayo sa mga bata. Mababa ang kanilang loob. Kung minsan, magagalit sa ngayon, magtatampo sa ngayon, i-distract mo lang, after one minute, nakalimutan na, diba? Kanina umiiyak, tapos maya-maya nakatawa na, ngumingiti na. Kung sakaling nagtampo sa inyo, nakalimutan na 'yon.

Pero ikaw? Marahil hindi ka pa nakipagkasundo sa kapitbahay o sa kapatid mo. Baka tatlong na, limang taon na, inaalagaan mo pa ang galit mo.

'Yong bata, kapag tinignan ka, hindi tinatanong - Doktor ka ba? Ikaw ba ay engineer? Ikaw ba'y presidente, barangay captain? Hindi. Sa bata, pare-pareho ang kanyang mga kausap. Wala sa suot, wala sa pinag-aralan, wala sa talino ang kanyang pagtingin. Lagi siyang nakangiti, gumagalang at handang kumilala. Sana, ganoon po ang ating disposisyon sa harap ng Diyos. Laging may kababaang-loob. Gano'n din sa ating kapwa tao.

Kung minsan, 'yon, nagpapaligsahan kapag medyo gurang na ang mga tao. Kung minsan, nangyayari din yan sa mga parokya, diba? Kung minsan ang isang tao, akala niya, sa kanya lahat ng leadership, 'yong mga bright ideas. Kaya pag hindi ninyo siya sinali o kaya ay pinalitan, nagtatampo. Kasi iniisip niya, pag nawala siya, hindi aandar ang parokya. Kapag ganoon ang pag-iisip, alam nyo 'yong taong 'yon, matatawag nating 'special child'. (tawanan) Kaya dapat mababa ang loob natin. Kung lahat ng kakayahan, biyaya ay talino ay ipinagkaloob sa iyo ng Diyos, 'yon ay isang handog na regalo para sa iyo. Wala kang maaaring ipagyabang. Lahat ay biyaya na galing sa Diyos. 

Ako po ay nag-celebrate ng aking 40th anniversary as a priest noong December 8. Ang 40 years ko po serving the people in the church, in my priestly ministry, hindi po ito dahil sa aking sariling kakayahan, kundi dahil po ito sa awa, sa pagmamahal ng Diyos. Kaya po nakatagal ako at patuloy na naglilingkod. 

So wala tayong maaaring ipagyabang sa ating buhay. Ito ang muling pinapa-alala sa atin ng Panginoon. Si Hesus, kahit na Siya ay Diyos, nagpakumbaba. Inangkin pa Niya ang ating kalagayan upang palitan. Siya ay bumaba upang tayo ay itaas. Ang Diyos naging tao, upang ang tao ay maging maka-Diyos.

'Yon po ang pangarap sa atin ng Diyos. At iyon po ang sinasabi sa atin ng Ikalawang Pagbasa na sulat ni San Pablo sa mga taga....hello? Epheso. Talagang nakikinig kayo at hindi natutulog. Ito ang kalooban ng Diyos - ang inyong kabanalan, ang inyong kababaang-loob, ang inyong paglago sa pananampalataya. Napaka-timely nitong ating pagdiriwang. Nais ng Diyos nitong Year of Faith, na lumago ang ating pananampalataya, ang ating pakikipag-ugnayan sa Diyos. Hindi po sapat na tayo ay nagsisimba. Ok that is important, tayo ay nagdarasal, may debosyon. Ngunit sana ay suriin din natin ang ating mga sarili, ang ating kilos, pakikipag-ugnayan sa iba. Saang bahagi ng buhay ko ang nais kong lumago, tulad ng Diyos? Kababaang-loob.

Ikalawa, kabutihan. Kung magbabasa ka ng diyaryo....kung minsan ayaw n'yo nang magbasa di ba? 'Yong mga nire-report sa diyaryo, puro karahasan, puro murder, puro nakawan, mga ganoon po, nakakapanghina. Pero kaya nga mayroon tayong tinatawag na Mabuting Balita. Galing kay Hesus. Si Hesus ang ating pag-asa. Ipinangako niya, Hindi Niya tayo pababayaan. Kasama natin Siya sa ating paglalakbay, kasama natin Siya sa ating mga tiisin, kasama natin Siya sa ating mga pangarap sa buhay. Kaya kapag tayo ay marunong umibig at magmahal sa Diyos, ano ang ibig sabihin noon? Ginagawa natin ang Kanyang kalooban. Tinutularan natin si Hesus sa ating pamumuhay. Para ang gayong kabutihan ay masalamin sa ating buhay. Ito ang pinagsikapan ni San Pablo. Sabi nga niya, sa pagsisikap niya, dumating ang puntong hindi na siya ang nabubuhay sa kanyang sarili, kundi ang Panginoong Hesukristo.

'Yon pong kabutihan at kagandahang loob, kapag ito ay inalagaan natin, magbubunga ng marami pang biyaya. Noong Habagat, ang ibang parokya namin, apektado po sa baha. At sa isang parokya po sa Roxas district, nandoon si Father Jojo, may nakiusap na tao. "Father," sabi niya, "yon pong bahay namin, bahang baha. Pwede po bang pansamantala sa simbahan muna po kami." "Aba, oo", sabi naman ni Father Jojo. "Ilan ba kayo para maihanda ang pagkain?" "120 po siguro." So naghanda si Father Jojo. After one hour, dumating ang mga tao, 1,200. (tawanan) Ano ho ang nangyari? Text, text, text, different parishes. Sa loob ng isang oras o mahigit, nagkaroon ng pagkain ang isang libo't dalawang daang tao, sumobra pa. (palakpakan)

Kabutihan. Kapag ito'y pinasa natin, ibinahagi sa ibang tao, babalik at babalik sa 'yo nang isang daang ibayo. Hindi matatalo, hindi matatawaran, ang kagandahang-loob ng Diyos, ang Kanyang kabutihan. Ito ang ating walang sawang ipinagdiriwang sa banal na misa. Ang walang sukat at hindi matawarang pagmamahal ng Diyos, ang kabutihan ng Diyos.

Pagkatapos ng kababaang-loob, ng kabutihan, ang pangatlo ay ang....kabanalan. Nais ng Diyos na maging ganap tayo sa Kanya. Ayaw ng Diyos ang kalahati lang, na nahahati ang ating sarili na inaalay natin sa Kanya. Gusto Niya, buong buo. Katulad ng mag-asawa, kapag may kaparte ang isa sa mga partner, naku, mag-aaway iyan, at hindi masaya 'yong mag-asawa. Gano'n din ang pakiki-isa sa Diyos. Upang tayo ay maging ganap, sana po ay pagsikapan nating tularan natin ang Panginoon sa iba't ibang paraan. Sa ating pag-iisip, sa ating pananalita, sa ating pagkilos, sana may pagbabago, may pag-unlad. At tiyak tayo ay maraming biyaya at pagpapala na isusukli ng Diyos sa atin.

Ito ang pangako ng batang si Hesus. The more you honor Him, the more He will bless you. Maraming ipapaalam sa atin ang ating Panginoong Hesus kapag Siya ay ating tinutularan. Harinawa, ang ating pakikinig ngayong gabi ay magbigay sa atin ng panibagong lakas, panibagong pagsisikap, upang matularan si Hesus sa kababaang-loob, kabutihan at kabanalan. Amen. 

Gospel Reflection

January 19, 2013

Saturday – Year of Faith – Weekday

by Rev. Fr. Dave Buenaventura, (SDB)

7:30AM Mass, St. John Bosco Parish Church, Makati

                         

Reading 1 Heb 4:12-16

The word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit,
joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.

Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.

Responsorial Psalm PS 19:8, 9, 10, 15

R.(see John 6:63c) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Gospel Mk 2:13-17

Jesus went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed Jesus. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”  Jesus heard this and said to them, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

HOMILY

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Good morning to everyone.

My dear brothers and sisters, before I share with you a thought regarding our Gospel in today's liturgy, let me introduce to you one of our statues at the gallery of the saints. Last week, I was asked, "Father, who is that saint in our gallery of saints, who has a horn on his head?" His name is St. Jude Thaddeus, and what we call the horn is not really a horn. It is supposed to be a flame of fire. But it is not colored well, that many think that it is a horn, although it is a flame of fire. And the person in his heart is none other than Jesus. Now, as we pray, we know that the new statue is that of St. Jude Thaddeus, the saint of the hopeless and the impossible.

My dear brothers and sisters, in many families, we often find someone who we tag as 'black sheep'. And we all know who he is. He or she is the child who is always in trouble, who is supposed to be unmanageable through ordinary discipline. He or she is a child who has his own ideas, or is used to doing things different from the rest of the children. He gets poor marks in school, disobedient in many ways, and whose conduct is near the borderline of delinquency.

And what do parents do with a black sheep? The selfish and unworthy parents withdraw their affection from the child. They kick him out of the house, once they feel that the child is old enough to look after himself. But the good parents do everything in their power to bring back the 'black sheep' from his dangerous path. Many times, good parents fail in their efforts, but they will never give up on their wayward child. They will dedicate a greater part of their care and concern for the 'black sheep', than for any other of their children. Why? Is it because they love him more? No. It is because the 'black sheep' needs more of their attention than the other children.

And this is precisely what is seen in the example of Jesus. Matthew - or Levi (his Hebrew name) - was a scum in the Jewish community. He collected taxes from his own people to give to the Romans, who are the enemies of his people. And Jesus favored Matthew and the other tax collectors and sinners mentioned in our Gospel, more than those who were good, simply because they needed Him more. 

My dear brothers and sisters, if you happen to be a 'black sheep' of God, let us not boast too quickly that we are the favorites of the Lord, and hence, can remain forever as His 'black sheep' and be assured of our salvation, because the Lord has a special predilection for us. The love of Jesus for us needs a response. And this is what Matthew did. When he felt the love of Jesus for him, he abandoned everything connected to his evil past, and followed Jesus. He did not tell himself, "Well, since this man loves me very much, and they call Him 'Lord", and some even say that He is the Son of God, so I will remain a sinner, because I know His love will save me." No. The love of Jesus for us who are sinners needs our personal response.

If Matthew simply boasted of his personal relationship with Jesus, but remained a tax collector, he would have been lost in perpetuity, not because God did not care for hm, but because he did not care for the love of Jesus for him. He did not give an answer to the call of God that the Lord made for him.

In one way or another, we can count ourselves as 'black sheep' in God's fold, because of our sinfulness. Our Gospel is a challenge for us to follow the example of Matthew. Let us give our favorable response to Jesus' love, His compassion, His understanding, His forgiveness, and His mercy.

My word of God for you today is, "Love covers a multitude of sins." In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.