Gospel Reflection

March 23, 2013

Saturday – Year of Faith – Lenten Seasons

by Rev. Fr. David 'Dave' T. Buenaventura,

SDB, Councilor and Pugad Centre Director and Counsellor, St. John Bosco Parish, Makati

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

                         

Reading 1 Ez 37:21-28

Thus says the Lord GOD: I will take the children of Israel from among the nations to which they have come, and gather them from all sides to bring them back to their land. I will make them one nation upon the land, in the mountains of Israel, and there shall be one prince for them all. Never again shall they be two nations, and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.

No longer shall they defile themselves with their idols, their abominations, and all their transgressions. I will deliver them from all their sins of apostasy, and cleanse them so that they may be my people and I may be their God. My servant David shall be prince over them, and there shall be one shepherd for them all; they shall live by my statutes and carefully observe my decrees. They shall live on the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where their fathers lived; they shall live on it forever, they, and their children, and their children’s children, with my servant David their prince forever. I will make with them a covenant of peace;
it shall be an everlasting covenant with them, and I will multiply them, and put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling shall be with them; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Thus the nations shall know that it is I, the LORD, who make Israel holy, when my sanctuary shall be set up among them forever.

Responsorial Psalm Jer 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13

R. (see 10d) The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.
Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,
proclaim it on distant isles, and say:
He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together,
he guards them as a shepherd his flock.
R. The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.
The LORD shall ransom Jacob,
he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror.
Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,
they shall come streaming to the LORD’s blessings:
The grain, the wine, and the oil,
the sheep and the oxen.
R. The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.
Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,
and young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.
R. The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.

Gospel Jn 11:45-56

Many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do?  This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come
and take away both our land and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God. So from that day on they planned to kill him.

So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews, but he left for the region near the desert, to a town called Ephraim, and there he remained with his disciples.

Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before Passover to purify themselves. They looked for Jesus and said to one another as they were in the temple area, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?”

HOMILY

Good morning to everyone. 

My dear brothers and sisters, we just received this circular from the Archdiocese of Manila telling all of us that today, March 23, we have the liturgical commemoration of St. Pedro Calungsod. It should be tomorrow, but since tomorrow is Palm Sunday, it has been transferred the day before, and it is today. 

Allow me to refresh you once again regarding this great Filipino martyr saint by the name of Pedro Calungsod. Very little is known about him. We do not even know how he looked like. It is said that the official portrait of the saint was modeled after Ronald Tubid. Personally, I do not know the basketball player from the PBA; perhaps some of you know him. 

We do not also know where he really came from, but there are at least four towns in the Visayas, claiming him to be their 'son'. Typically Filipino - each one would like to claim someone great for their own. 2 towns in Cebu, Loboc in Bohol, and Leon in Iloilo. So the Cebuanos and the Ilonggos are now fighting and saying "He belongs to us." Cebu and Bohol are rated more probable as places of origin of Pedro Calungsod. But Leon in Iloilo rates the highest in probability. What is indisputable is Pedro Calungsod was a Visayan and a young man. He was known as 'joven Visayan' - the young Visayan. And all the documents of the times say this repeatedly, that he belonged to the Diocese of Cebu. At that time, all the Visayas - Eastern and Western - and even the island of Guam, belonged to the Diocese of Cebu. 

Our saint was a brown-skinned native. It doesn't really matter if he was ultimately from Cebu, from Bohol, or from Iloilo. All the Visayans can rightly claim him as their own. But if we, Filipinos, were to claim San Pedro Calungsod as our own, we should allow his works and examples to transform our very own lives, and become better persons, outstanding Filipinos, and authentic Christians. What is the use of having two martyrs as Filipinos, when we are not able to become like them? So what are we proud of, anyway? In what way have their lives influenced our very own lives as Filipinos? I think that it is just proper that if we are proud to have these particular men as our saints, the consequence should be, that we are transformed by them, to become really better Christians. 

Pedro did not become a martyr and a saint overnight. His courage to die for the faith was the fruit of his day-to-day openness to the teachings and examples of his Jesuit mentors who were responsible for his formation. I don't think that is difficult to practice. We have our mentor, the Lord. And all we have to do is, with perserverance, we should obey the Lord's teachings in our daily life. That is how we grow in our quest for holiness. 

St. Pedro Calungsod was a missionary by vocation. He answered the call of Father Diego Luis de Sanvitores to join him on a mission trip to Guam. And it is said that Pedro left the Philippines at the age of either 13 or 14. Pedro was a 'jack of all trades'. He served as catechist, a sacristan, and a bearer of baskets and provision bags on mission journeys. He was an all-around worker in the mission, which is another secret of his holiness. It was in doing these little things with great humility, faith and love, that Pedro Calungsod sanctified himself. 

Pedro is actually telling us that you do not have to press for great things to transform yourself and become a better person. Simply do your ordinary duties extraordinarily well, and that is already a secret to become a better person. 

It is good to remind ourselves today on his feast that we are all missionaries, not by vocation, but by baptism. By baptism, we are mandated to fulfill the essence of our faith. And what is the essence of our faith? To love one another as Jesus loves us. By means of this, everyone will know that we are truly Christians, that we are disciples of Jesus. 

We can be missionaries in our own family. I am asking you now. How is your family? Are you, parents, still true to your vow to journey in holiness, as husband and wife? Are you catechists to your children? What are you teaching your children? That is being part of being a missionary in the family. But how can you teach your children, when you yourselves are not studying your Christian faith? I guess many parents are forgetting that they are also catechists like St. Pedro Calungsod. Are your children recipients of your holiness, in your words and examples? And are your children proud of you and they say that 'my mom and dad are really good parents'? What is it of Christ in you, that you are able to share with them?

We are in the season of Lent, and it is good to examine and ask ourselves - what is it of Christ that I have acquired so far? I am 55 years old, I am 65 years old. What is it of Christ that, through these years, I can really say is a part of me? It would truly be very unfortunate if we are growing in age, but not in holiness. 

We can be missionaries with our friends. Are you better persons when you are with them? Or are you better persons when you are NOT with them? That will be very unfortunate indeed. We can be missionaries within our Christian community. Do your Christian brothers and sisters feel the warmth of your being a Christian? Do they see you as a hardworking, respectful, joyful, prayerful member of your Christian community? Many converts have come to the church because their lives have been touched by the goodness of Catholic men and women who lived Christ's teachings in their daily, ordinary lives. 

My dear brothers and sisters, today is, indeed, a day of rejoicing for all of us Filipinos. But let us not just be proud of having another Filipino declared as saint on the altar. May the life of San Pedro Calungsod be an inspiration for us to become obedient sons and daughters of our Catholic church, having a communal intent in the transformation of the spiritual and moral lives of our fellow Filipinos. 

My word of God for you this morning is this: We are all called to martyrdom. St. Pedro Calungsod was a martyr by intensity. We are all martyrs by duration. 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. 

Gospel Reflection

March 22, 2013

Friday – Year of Faith – Lenten Seasons

by Rev. Fr. Leo Nilo C. Mangussad, Rector, Shrine of Mary Queen of Peace, Our Lady of EDSA (EDSA Shrine)
12:15PM Mass at Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace (Our Lady of EDSA)

                         

Reading 1 Jer 20:10-13

I hear the whisperings of many: “Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him!” All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. “Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.” But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, Let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, For he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!

Responsorial Psalm Ps 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7

R. (see 7) In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
I love you, O LORD, my strength,
O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
and I am safe from my enemies.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
The breakers of death surged round about me,
the destroying floods overwhelmed me;
The cords of the nether world enmeshed me,
the snares of death overtook me.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
In my distress I called upon the LORD
and cried out to my God;
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

Gospel Jn 10:31-42

The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, ‘You are gods”‘?  If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and Scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?  If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Then they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power.

He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” And many there began to believe in him.

HOMILY

A rainy afternoon my brothers and sisters. 

Retaliation is never an option for a Catholic. It is poor taste if you try to get even with a person. That is never an option for a Catholic. Jesus shows that in the Gospel. 

If you retaliate, you are going to concentrate on the retaliation, rather than the good works that you are supposed to do in the first place. You are too caught up with trying to get even, that you have forgotten what you intend to do for the Lord. Result? You become non-children of God because that is not the way of God. Retaliation is never an option for a Catholic. 

There are better ways of trying to face a detractor. One is by legitimate defense. Just like what Jesus did in the Gospel, He explained to them, proved to them, and showed them. He tried to enlighten them with the truth. Second, complain to God. In the First Reading, Jeremiah complained to God, and God listened to Him. God will never give a deaf ear to an honest, sincere prayer, even if it is a complaint, because God loves His children. 

Come to think of it. Enemies are wonderful for us. Why? Because they will be able to unleash the true color of our skin. Are you really gold or just gold-plated? Our friends will always tell us good and nice things about us. Our enemies will tell negative things about us. It is our reaction to all these negative things that define who we really are. 

Retaliation is never an option for a Catholic. We have a choice. Are we truly sons and daughters of our Father in heaven? Do we show our true color as children of the Father in whatever we do to our detractors, as abrasive as our detractors may seem? Or are we non-children of God, because our bad nature comes out?

Gospel Reflection

March 21, 2013

Thursday – Year of Faith – Lenten Seasons

by Rev. Fr. Benjamin “Benjo” Fajota (Vice Rector of the EDSA Shrine)

12:15PM Mass at Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace (Our Lady of EDSA)

                         

Reading 1 Gn 17:3-9

When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him: “My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations. No longer shall you be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I am making you the father of a host of nations. I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings shall stem from you. I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God.”

God also said to Abraham: “On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”

Responsorial Psalm PS 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations –
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

Gospel Jn 8:51-59

Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.”  So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died?  Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?”  Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word.  Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.”  So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

HOMILY

In both of our readings, we speak about identities. In the First Reading, Abraham - formerly know as Abram - was given a new identity by God because of His covenant with him and His people. The covenant that God will always be there for them, and will always be protecting them, and will always be providing for them as a Father would.

In our Gospel, we heard that people wanted to kill Jesus Christ, for speaking about His true identity. In the entire Chapter 8 of the Gospel of John, there are four things about Jesus Christ. First, Jesus says that He is the light of the world. Second, whoever accepts His Word will be among His chosen ones. And now we hear His two other claims - whoever keeps His word will never see death, and the supreme claim of all - "I am Who am", thereby claiming Jesus to be one with God and Jesus claiming to be God.

But how come people do not accept this truth, when it is Jesus Himself proclaiming it? We are not surprised when we hear about groups of atheists present in our society. Have you heard about a Facebook page with the title 'Si Hesus ay Isang _ _ _ _ _ na Panginoon'. K.U.P.A.L People who do not accept that there is God, ridicule and attack our faith. Why? Because we have failed. We have failed to be witnesses of our true identity. We claim to be Christians, yet how are we, when we relate to other people? We say that we are Christians and that we are holy. And we try to be holy when we are inside the church. But when we are in our work areas, when we are at our homes, when we are at different places, who are we? Do people see that Jesus is alive in us? Do people see that we accept His teachings? Do people see that we accept and keep His words?

Obedience to the Word of God - obedience to God - has its price. It is the price of being ridiculed, of being ostracized, of being attacked. If that is the only way to show our real identities as children of God, so be it. We must not be afraid. There is a cost for everything. And our lives have been paid by the life of Jesus Christ.

As we go through our Lenten journey, may we be strengthened by our faith through the Word of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Gospel Reflection

March 20, 2013

Wednesday – Year of Faith – Lenten Seasons
by Rev. Fr. Leo Nilo C. Mangussad, Rector, Shrine of Mary Queen of Peace, Our Lady of EDSA (EDSA Shrine) 12:15PM Mass at Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace (Our Lady of EDSA)

Reading 1 Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95

King Nebuchadnezzar said: “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up? Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made, whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments; otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace; and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue that you set up.”

King Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the white-hot furnace.

Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” “Assuredly, O king,” they answered. “But,” he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.”  Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”

Responsorial Psalm Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56

R. (52b) Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim;
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
praiseworthy and glorious forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!

Gospel Jn 8:31-42

Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone.  How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains.  So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free. I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you.  I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence; then do what you have heard from the Father.”

They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this. You are doing the works of your father!” So they said to him, “We were not born of fornication. We have one Father, God.”  Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”

HOMILY

As Jesus has said, "...and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free".
It is best to live a truthful life and practice truthfulness, unless you are an extremely good liar, that you could go on lying with your life. It will set you free if you know the truth because if you lie, you will have to put another lie to cover up the lie that you have said in the first place. And as you continue lying, more lies will have to be conjured to cover up the truth that you should have said in the first place.
The truth will set you free. But how many of us are willing to face and tell the truth? We are more fond of covering up the truth with utter lies. Why? It is like this. Sometimes, if we want to tell the truth, we just say half of it, so we are able to manipulate it. The painful part of it is, we only believe the other half, rather than the authentic half. And in so doing, we produce a convenient truth for us to live by. It is manipulating the absolute truth.
What is the absolute truth that will set us free? Love that comes from God. Jesus Himself has said that love is the absolute truth. If you love one another, you're not going to deceive anyone. You will tell truth. You are not going to be greedy, you're not going to be selfish, you're not going to think of yourself, but rather, think of everyone else.
Jesus sets the truth into action. Can we continue bearing this truth in our lives? Or are we going to cover up this truth with lies, and then continuously and non-stop cover it up with more lies? My brothers and sisters, Jesus wants us to live in truth. Can we cooperate with Him and bring the truth to everyone?