Gospel Reflection

June 04, 2013

Tuesday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

by Rev. Fr. Ramon Jade L. Licuanan (Commissioner, Commission on Youth, Archdiocese of Manila)

12;15PM Mass, Mary, Queen of Peace Shrine (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)

Reading 1 Tb 2:9-14

On the night of Pentecost, after I had buried the dead, I, Tobit, went into my courtyard to sleep next to the courtyard wall.  My face was uncovered because of the heat.  I did not know there were birds perched on the wall above me, till their warm droppings settled in my eyes, causing cataracts.  I went to see some doctors for a cure but the more they anointed my eyes with various salves,  the worse the cataracts became,  until I could see no more.  For four years I was deprived of eyesight, and all my kinsmen were grieved at my condition.  Ahiqar, however, took care of me for two years, until he left for Elymais.

At that time, my wife Anna worked for hire  at weaving cloth, the kind of work women do.  When she sent back the goods to their owners, they would pay her.  Late in winter on the seventh of Dystrus, she finished the cloth and sent it back to the owners. They paid her the full salary and also gave her a young goat for the table. On entering my house the goat began to bleat.

I called to my wife and said: “Where did this goat come from? Perhaps it was stolen! Give it back to its owners; we have no right to eat stolen food!” She said to me, “It was given to me as a bonus over and above my wages.” Yet I would not believe her, and told her to give it back to its owners. I became very angry with her over this. So she retorted: “Where are your charitable deeds now? Where are your virtuous acts?  See! Your true character is finally showing itself!”

Responsorial Psalm PS 112:1-2, 7-8, 9

R. (see 7c) The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
An evil report he shall not fear;
his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear
till he looks down upon his foes.
R. The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Lavishly he gives to the poor;
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel Mk 12:13-17

Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.They came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful manand that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion.You do not regard a person’s status but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?”
Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at.” They brought one to him and he said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They replied to him, “Caesar’s.” So Jesus said to them, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” They were utterly amazed at him.

HOMILY

What does it mean when Jesus says "repay to Ceasar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God?" What does it mean? Is it a call from Jesus to 'compartamentalize' our lives? That we have our social life, and no other areas should influence it, including God? That we have our own love life, and it is our own business, not of the Church? That our life is our business, that there is nothing that God should do about it? Is it a suggestion from God to put compartments in our life, separated from each other, when He said those words?

You know, Jesus made use of this opportunity as a tactic from the authorities, to convey an important message. When Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, give to God what is God's", He is making use of the opportunity to tell us that everything is under God's word. Everything in our lives should be under the authority of God. Every area of our life should be under the authority of God's statutes. Business, love life, political life, whatever kind of life - they should be under God's rule. It is a very opportune time for Jesus to teach the truth.

That's why it's so sad when we hear people say 'You people of the Church, you remain to your Church. Don't meddle about elections and political candidates." No, I don't think so. If you are truly clear about God's statutes, you would realize that to be a follower of God, to be a Christian, to be a Catholic, is also to be a good citizen. Ang sabi nga - ang isang mabuting Katoliko ay mabuting Pilipino. You cannot separate these two.

Along history, you would often, frequently discover and learn the many Catholic social teachings that the Church has been issuing all these generations. And from the very beginning, you will realize that the Church will always encourage us to be mindful of others, mindful of the society, mindful of the Government. Therefore, that only proves to us that indeed, to be a good Catholic, to be a zealous follower of God, is to be concerned about what's happening around the community, among our brethren.

That is why all the more, even in recent years, we will witness the Church really making a firm stance on many issues affecting our lives. Why? Because God, after all, is mindful. In fact, when we are in need of something, we go to God, we pray to God. Now why don't we put God in all these things, in all these arenas? If we seek God's favors, if we seek God to bestow upon us some requests and favors, then why would we not put God in the center of things?

My dear friends, the challenge for us is that we have to understand on a deeper level what God meant when He said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, give to God what is God's". It is not an offer or a command from God to compartamentalize our lives. It is, in fact, a very clear mandate of God to integrate all the areas and aspect of our life into one - under God's rule.

Gospel Reflection

June 03, 2013

Monday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs

by Rev. Fr. Leo Nilo C. Mangussad, Rector, Shrine of Mary Queen of Peace, Our Lady of EDSA (EDSA Shrine)
5:30PM Mass, Mary, Queen of Peace Shrine (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)

 

Reading 1 Tb 1:3; 2:1a-8

I, Tobit, have walked all the days of my life on the paths of truth and righteousness. I performed many charitable works for my kinsmen and my people who had been deported with me to Nineveh, in Assyria.

On our festival of Pentecost, the feast of Weeks,  a fine dinner was prepared for me, and I reclined to eat. The table was set for me, and when many different dishes were placed before me, I said to my son Tobiah: “My son, go out and try to find a poor man from among our kinsmen exiled here in Nineveh. If he is a sincere worshiper of God, bring him back with you, so that he can share this meal with me. Indeed, son, I shall wait for you to come back.”

Tobiah went out to look for some poor kinsman of ours. When he returned he exclaimed, “Father!” I said to him, “What is it, son?” He answered, “Father, one of our people has been murdered! His body lies in the market place where he was just strangled!” I sprang to my feet, leaving the dinner untouched; and I carried the dead man from the street and put him in one of the rooms, so that I might bury him after sunset. Returning to my own quarters, I washed myself and ate my food in sorrow. I was reminded of the oracle pronounced by the prophet Amos against Bethel:

“All your festivals shall be turned into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation.”

And I wept. Then at sunset I went out, dug a grave, and buried him.

The neighbors mocked me, saying to one another: “He is still not afraid! Once before he was hunted down for execution  because of this very thing; yet now that he has scarcely escaped, here he is again burying the dead!”

Responsorial Psalm PS 112:1b-2, 3b-4, 5-6

R. (1b) Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
His generosity shall endure forever.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious and merciful and just.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice;
He shall never be moved;
the just man shall be in everlasting remembrance.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel Mk 12:1-12

Jesus began to speak to the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey. At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants to obtain from them some of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent them another servant. And that one they beat over the head and treated shamefully. He sent yet another whom they killed. So, too, many others; some they beat, others they killed. He had one other to send, a beloved son. He sent him to them last of all, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they seized him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come, put the tenants to death, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this Scripture passage:

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?”

They were seeking to arrest him, but they feared the crowd, for they realized that he had addressed the parable to them. So they left him and went away.

HOMILY

Good afternoon my dear brothers and sisters. 

Once there was this class in Social Studies and they were discussing among themselves what they can do to effect some change in the society. So one suggested, "Why don't we help the street children so that we could feed them? Yes. Why don't be pull our resources and buy food for them? Yes, why don't we buy clothes for them? Yes, why don't we look for them and gather them?" And then someone said, "We are going to do all these things, but isn't it supposed to be the work of health workers to feed them, the work of the government, or the work of the policemen to put them together so that they will not be disturbing the peace and quiet of the society? Why are we going to do these things?" To which everyone also agreed, unfortunately. At the end of the discussion, no action was planned.

My dear brothers and sisters, how many times have we been in the same position? We want to help, but in the mercies of our heart, we are tempted not to, maybe because of the present situation, because of what we think should be done, and not what we can really do to help. True mercy is not simply writing a cheque and sending it to people who are in need. It becomes a very impersonal way of concern. True mercy is a very personal concern on people - what can we do and give up for them. 

That was the concern of Tobit in the First Reading. The Gospel also showed the true concern of the owner of the vineyard. He not only wanted a portion of the produce of what he has, but he even sent His son to help, to guide and to protect. But what did the tenants do? They got rid of him. 

My brothers and sisters, God sends us helpers in His vineyard. God sends us people with mercy in their hearts to help us. But how many of us truly embrace them and work with them to show our personal concern for others? Are we just like the tenants in our Gospel - waiting to kill those who are wanting to do what is good for our society? Or are we those who, out of our own personal desire, just help, because this is what Jesus has done for us and would like us to do for others?

The choice is ours. We can discuss continuously, endlessly, and accomplish nothing. Or we can work now, and do our own small part in making our lives here on earth better.  

Gospel Reflection

June 02, 2013

Sunday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

by Rev. Fr. Marvin Mejia

(Assistant Secretary General, Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines)
7:15AM Mass, Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel (Greenbelt Chapel), Makati

 

Reading 1 Gn 14:18-20

In those days, Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine, and being a priest of God Most High, he blessed Abram with these words: "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who delivered your foes into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 110:1, 2, 3, 4

R. (4b) You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The LORD said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand
till I make your enemies your footstool."
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion:
"Rule in the midst of your enemies."
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
"Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor;
before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you."
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent:
"You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek."
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

Reading 2 1 Cor 11:23-26

Brothers and sisters: I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,  that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over,  took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying,  "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,  you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

Gospel Lk 9:11b-17

Jesus spoke to the crowds about the kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured. As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, "Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here." He said to them, "Give them some food yourselves." They replied, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people." Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty." They did so and made them all sit down. Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.

HOMILY

What are the most important words ever spoken on this world? There are many memorable words spoken by saints, presidents and popes. The words of Jesus, quoted by St. Paul that says, "This is My Body, this is My Blood", are the most important words ever spoken. They have shaped the life and spirituality of billions of people in many generations. 

Today's Feast of Corpus Christi, or the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, is a feast that is centuries old. And this is a feast that is very Catholic. Today, we reflect on the heart of the Eucharist where lies the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus' gift to the Church on the night before He died was not the gift of His parables or His blessings, but the gift of His own self in form of Bread and Wine. 

The Eucharist celebrates Jesus Himself - Body and Blood, soul and divinity. That is why every time we receive Holy Communion, we are in close contact with Jesus than was possible to anyone, during His earthly life. In the Eucharist, the actual distance between ourselves and Christ vanishes. Jesus gave us the Holy Eucharist as a place of unity, to draw to Him His Disciples, and them, to each other. 

It is, therefore, an odd thing that the Holy Eucharist or the Holy Mass has been a place of contention or debates for many years. Maybe it is a sign of how central the Holy Mass is, to the Catholics, that we are so sensitive to any changes introduced. There have been debates about translations, gestures, postures, how to receive Communion, who can give Communion, and who can receive Communion. Of course, it is important to remember that receiving Holy Communion is not simply a personal gesture, but that we are in communion with Christ and the Church. Catholics, or those who are claiming to be Catholics, who have not followed the Gospel, who are in serious sin and whose lifestyle depart from the Gospel, and who do not believe what the Catholic Church teaches, should refrain from going to Communion. That is the universal and common teaching. 

However, the pre-condition for each mass and the invitation to Holy Communion is not whether another person is receiving worthily, but whether I myself am receiving Holy Communion worthily. Am I in union with the Church and what it teaches - not just one teaching, but in all that the Church teaches? Am I in the state of grace? Am I trying to be an honest follower of Jesus? Communion - receiving the most precious Body and Blood of Christ - is more than just receiving. Coming to Communion is an act of renewing our commitment to Jesus. It is a statement of belief in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a commitment to unity with the Church and all Catholics. Coming to Communion, which is receiving Jesus in His most precious Body and Blood, is not a perfunctory gesture, but a profound action of faith in Jesus.

Brothers and sisters, we all live to examine the consistency of our life with the Gospel. If we avoid mortal sin but are still lacking in faith, the Lord will lead us to become stronger followers. That strength and grace comes from the Holy Eucharist. On this Feast of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ, we can examine ourselves and try to make the words and sacrifice of the Mass our words and our sacrifice. We receive our penance together with the congregation and make sure that we join the real congregation on the mass on Sunday, and not just the 'television' congregation. Do we come to spread goodwill and peace every Sunday?

The Corpus Christi Sunday is the best time to refresh our reverence and thanks to the Eucharist....in renewing our commitment to the Blessed Sacrament. For the Eucharist is the Sacrament of Church life. It is the center of our life.