Gospel Reflection

June 07, 2013

Friday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

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

6:30AM Mass, Mary, Queen of Peace Shrine (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)

Reading 1 Ez 34:11-16

Thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will look after and tend my sheep. As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep. I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark. I will lead them out from among the peoples and gather them from the foreign lands; I will bring them back to their own country and pasture them upon the mountains of Israel in the land's ravines and all its inhabited places. In good pastures will I pasture them, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing ground. There they shall lie down on good grazing ground, and in rich pastures shall they be pastured on the mountains of Israel. I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD. The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy, shepherding them rightly.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6.

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Reading 2 Rom 5:5b-11

Brothers and sisters: The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly. Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath. Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Gospel Lk 15:3-7

Jesus addressed this parable to the Pharisees and scribes: "What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,  'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance."  

HOMILY

The parables have very common characteristics. They start with an experience which the hearer is very familiar with. But then something happens, which changes his mindset or attitude.

This is similar to our Gospel Reading. Sino kaya ang isang pastol na iiwanan ang kanyang siyamnapu't siyam na tupa para lamang hanapin ang isang nawawala? Dito ay nakita natin ang isang larawan o imahen ng Diyos na nagmamahal. Sasabihin ng ibang mga pastol, ok lang na mawala ang isa, meron pa naman silang siyamnapu't siyam. But then in our image of God as a good Shepherd, as we celebrate today the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, we see a God who cares. Mayroon Siyang pagkalinga. Mayroon Siyang pagbibigay ng tunay na pag-ibig.

At one point in our lives, all of us get lost with our sinfulness. But no matter what those sins are, kahit na gaanong kabigat ang lahat ng ating mga kasalanan, sinasabi sa atin ni Hesus ngayon, 'Hahanapin Ko kayo....I will find you, and I will bring you home to the Father."

So, on this Feast of the Sacred Heart, God is asking us for a conversion of our hearts. Sinasabi Niya sa atin, 'Talikdan n'yo ang inyong mga kasalanan dahil ang pagmamahal Ko ang inaalay Ko. Ito ang tunay na magbibigay sa inyo ng kaligayahan - ang pakikipagkaisa sa Akin, ang pagbabalik-loob sa Akin....Pero tandaan n'yo ito. Kahit na ano ang inyong kasalanan, kahit na kayo ang pinaka-makasalanang tao sa buong daigdig, hahanapin at hahanapin Ko kayo, dahil ganoon Ko kayo kamahal. Ibabalik Ko kayo sa tahanan ng Diyos Ama.'

My dear brothers and sisters, this is the promise of our Lord Jesus Christ. He loves us, He understands us, He forgives our sins. And that is the start of healing. Let us pray, as we celebrate this day of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, for a transformation of our hearts. Because deeply, God cares. Let us celebrate the great love of God for us. Amen. 

Gospel Reflection

June 06, 2013

Thursday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

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

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

Reading 1 Tb 6:10-11; 7:1bcde, 9-17; 8:4-9a

When the angel Raphael and Tobiah had entered Media and were getting close to Ecbatana, Raphael said to the boy, “Tobiah, my brother!” He replied: “Here I am!” He said: “Tonight we must stay with Raguel, who is a relative of yours. He has a daughter named Sarah.”

So he brought him to the house of Raguel, whom they found seated by his courtyard gate. They greeted him first. He said to them, “Greetings to you too, brothers! Good health to you, and welcome!” And he brought them into his home.

Raguel slaughtered a ram from the flock and gave them a cordial reception. When they had bathed and reclined to eat, Tobiah said to Raphael, “Brother Azariah, ask Raguel to let me marry my kinswoman Sarah.” Raguel overheard the words; so he said to the boy: “Eat and drink and be merry tonight, for no man is more entitled to marry my daughter Sarah than you, brother. Besides, not even I have the right to give her to anyone but you, because you are my closest relative. But I will explain the situation to you very frankly. I have given her in marriage to seven men, all of whom were kinsmen of ours, and all died on the very night they approached her. But now, son, eat and drink. I am sure the Lord will look after you both.” Tobiah answered, “I will eat or drink nothing until you set aside what belongs to me.”

Raguel said to him: “I will do it. She is yours according to the decree of the Book of Moses. Your marriage to her has been decided in heaven! Take your kinswoman; from now on you are her love, and she is your beloved. She is yours today and ever after. And tonight, son, may the Lord of heaven prosper you both. May he grant you mercy and peace.”  Then Raguel called his daughter Sarah, and she came to him. He took her by the hand and gave her to Tobiah with the words: “Take her according to the law. According to the decree written in the Book of Moses she is your wife. Take her and bring her back safely to your father. And may the God of heaven grant both of you peace and prosperity.” Raguel then called Sarah’s mother and told her to bring a scroll, so that he might draw up a marriage contract stating that he gave Sarah to Tobiah as his wife according to the decree of the Mosaic law. Her mother brought the scroll, and Raguel drew up the contract, to which they affixed their seals.

Afterward they began to eat and drink. Later Raguel called his wife Edna and said, “My love, prepare the other bedroom and bring the girl there.” She went and made the bed in the room, as she was told, and brought the girl there. After she had cried over her, she wiped away the tears and said: “Be brave, my daughter. May the Lord grant you joy in place of your grief. Courage, my daughter.” Then she left.

When the girl’s parents left the bedroom and closed the door behind them, Tobiah arose from bed and said to his wife, “My love, get up. Let us pray and beg our Lord to have mercy on us and to grant us deliverance.” She got up, and they started to pray and beg that deliverance might be theirs. And they began to say:

“Blessed are you, O God of our fathers, praised be your name forever and ever. Let the heavens and all your creation praise you forever. You made Adam and you gave him his wife Eve to be his help and support; and from these two the human race descended. You said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; let us make him a partner like himself.’ Now, Lord, you know that I take this wife of mine not because of lust, but for a noble purpose. Call down your mercy on me and on her, and allow us to live together to a happy old age.”

They said together, “Amen, amen,” and went to bed for the night.

Responsorial Psalm PS 128:1-2, 3, 4-5

R. (see 1a) Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
Blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Gospel Mk 12:28-34

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!  The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind,  and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, He is One and there is no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

HOMILY

The other day, the junior, or the young clergy of the Archdiocese of Manila in which I belong had an audience with Cardinal Tagle and he shared with us this anecdote. May lumapit daw pong parokyano sa kanya at sinabi, "Your Eminence, palitan n'yo na 'yong aming parish priest. Kasi ang labo-labo niya mag-Homily. Walang linaw, magulo." Tapos sabi ni Cardinal in defense of the priest, "Eh gano'n naman po kasi ang tunay na nangyayari ngayon sa daigdig. Dapat ang Ebanghelyo ay sinasalamin 'yong tunay na pangyayari sa ating mundo sa kasalukuyan. Tingnan n'yo po ang ating mundo - magulo, walang linaw, at ang labo-labo ng mga nangyayari."

My dear brothers and sisters, our world is a changing world. Our world is full of uncertainties and doubts. And when you look at the way we perceive things, the way the world is being run right now, and our attitude toward what is happening, you will have this feeling of fear. One famous Russian novelist who was put into exile was reflecting on how his country, Russia, a country of great and rich cultural heritage, has gone into barbarism, when the communist took over. He saw all the atrocities at lahat ng paghihirap na ginawa ng mga sundalo sa kanilang mga exiles. Sabi niya, 'What has happened to this great country?' And upon reflection, he came up with his conclusion and that is because men have forgotten God.

Nakalimutan na ng tao ang Diyos. But it is also very heartening that, on the contrary, a lot of corporations are now asking the church for recollections and retreats. One top honcho of a large company said, "We would like to put God back into the board room." Nakalimutan na natin ang Diyos. Hindi na natin Siya pinag-uusapan sa ordinaryo nating pag-uusap. We talk about a lot of things and ideas, but when we are already outside the church, outside the liturgical celebrations, do we talk of God? Pinag-uusapan ba natin 'yong mga experiences natin tungkol sa Diyos, o pag lumabas na tayo ng simbahan, nakalimutan na rin natin ang Diyos?

The Jews of old would say this simple prayer in the morning, in the afternoon, and at night, before they go to bed. "The Lord our God is Lord alone." And that is the key to loving God and our neighbor - remembering that God is Lord alone. Wala nang ibang Diyos. Kaya't kung uunahin natin Siya sa ating buhay, putting our best time, energy and effort in praising and thanking God even for the little things that are blessed to us, then we will always remember that loving God is loving our neighbors. Amen.

Gospel Reflection

June 05, 2013

Wednesday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr

by Rev. Fr. Rufino "Jun" C. Sescon, Jr. - Chaplain, Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel (Greenbelt Chapel), Makati
7:00PM Mass at Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel, (Greenbelt Chapel) Makati

Reading 1 Tb 3:1-11a, 16-17a

Grief-stricken in spirit, I, Tobit, groaned and wept aloud.Then with sobs I began to pray:

“You are righteous, O Lord, and all your deeds are just; All your ways are mercy and truth; you are the judge of the world. And now, O Lord, may you be mindful of me, and look with favor upon me. Punish me not for my sins, nor for my inadvertent offenses, nor for those of my ancestors.

“We sinned against you, and disobeyed your commandments. So you handed us over to plundering, exile, and death, till you made us the talk and reproach of all the nations among whom you had dispersed us.

“Yes, your judgments are many and true in dealing with me as my sins and those of my ancestors deserve. For we have not kept your commandments, nor have we trodden the paths of truth before you.

“So now, deal with me as you please, and command my life breathe to be taken from me, that I may go from the face of the earth into dust. It is better for me to die than to live, because I have heard insulting calumnies, and I am overwhelmed with grief.

“Lord, command me to be delivered from such anguish; let me go to the everlasting abode; Lord, refuse me not. For it is better for me to die than to endure so much misery in life, and to hear these insults!”

On the same day, at Ecbatana in Media, it so happened that Raguel’s daughter Sarah also had to listen to abuse, from one of her father’s maids. For she had been married to seven husbands, but the wicked demon Asmodeus killed them off before they could have intercourse with her, as it is prescribed for wives. So the maid said to her: “You are the one who strangles your husbands! Look at you! You have already been married seven times, but you have had no joy with any one of your husbands. Why do you beat us? Is it on account of your seven husbands, Because they are dead? May we never see a son or daughter of yours!”

The girl was deeply saddened that day, and she went into an upper chamber of her house, where she planned to hang herself.

But she reconsidered, saying to herself: “No! People would level this insult against my father: ‘You had only one beloved daughter, but she hanged herself because of ill fortune!’ And thus would I cause my father in his old age to go down to the nether world laden with sorrow. It is far better for me not to hang myself, but to beg the Lord to have me die, so that I need no longer live to hear such insults.”

At that time, then, she spread out her hands, and facing the window, poured out her prayer:

“Blessed are you, O Lord, merciful God, and blessed is your holy and honorable name. Blessed are you in all your works for ever!”

At that very time,  the prayer of these two suppliants was heard in the glorious presence of Almighty God. So Raphael was sent to heal them both: to remove the cataracts from Tobit’s eyes, so that he might again see God’s sunlight; and to marry Raguel’s daughter Sarah to Tobit’s son Tobiah, and then drive the wicked demon Asmodeus from her.

Responsorial Psalm PS 25:2-3, 4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9

R. (1) To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
In you I trust; let me not be put to shame,
let not my enemies exult over me.
No one who waits for you shall be put to shame;
those shall be put to shame who heedlessly break faith.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your kindness are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Gospel Mk 12:18-27

Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, If someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants. So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants, and the third likewise. And the seven left no descendants. Last of all the woman also died. At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be? For all seven had been married to her.” Jesus said to them, “Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven. As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled.”

HOMILY

Good evening po sa inyong lahat.

It is, once again, our servants' mass. We hold this every month, when we focus on some ministries of people serving at the chapel. And tonight, our ministry in focus are our brothers from the extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. So I request our brothers to stand up and be recognized by the community. (loud applause for the ministers)

Given the chance, I still pray that we will have more servants. I was talking to the Cardinal the other day...I would really want to expand my ministry here at Greenbelt. Not only providing the mass, confession, but especially the office ministry, which is still an emerging ministry in the local church. Meaning to say, for offices. And one thing I realized - I was telling the Cardinal - is that if I will be given the time - it is my appeal now to the servants of Greenbelt Chapel...If things are well in the Chapel, that makes the grace more free to think of other ministries, to be more creative. Kaya kung minsan 'yong ibang mga pari ay hindi na makaisip ng ibang ministry kasi napapagod na po sa servant level pa lang. Kaya siguro 'yon ang request ko sa ating mga servants. If we could really do things well here, we could create more opportunities to serve. And one of the things I pray - I dream, given the chance, if I will be given more time and more help, is the ministry of hope. What do I mean about the 'ministry of hope'?

We all know that nowadays, the rate of suicide is increasing. And I think that is part of modernity, that is part of progress. Especially here in Makati, which is the center of progress, of modernity, where the consequence would be secularism and individualism, suicide is a reality. And that is an aspect that slowly we have to face in Philippine society. In America, that is no longer startling, but now we have to be conscious that it is becoming a cause for alarm. Dati-rati siguro, ang Pilipino sabi nila, dahil masayahin daw tayong tao, eh huling huli na itong iisipin natin. But in recent statistics, it is surprising that we are fighting that phenomenon already, because of depression, of so many concerns, especially hidden stress. The office, we all know, is the center of stress. Kaya pag nakikita ko kayong pumapasok dito, sinasabihan ko 'yong mga greeters and collectors, ngitian n'yo naman sila, kasi baka buong araw sa opisina eh ang mga kaharap nila ay puro nakasimangot na, ang mga kaharap nila ay maaasim na. Tapos pagdating dito sa simbahan eh maaasim pa rin ang kaharap nila, baka talagang tumalon na 'yan sa lagoon, 'no? (laughs) Pero hindi po 'yan lagpas tao, kaya huwag ho kayong magtatangka.

But that phenomenon.....And our First Reading today is a good point for departure. We have been hearing the story of Tobit. Tobit is a very good man and was doing good, but he got blinded for four years. And so he could not reconcile the fact that he was doing good, he was trying hard to be close to God, but that he is suffering from so many misfortunes. Nagkaroon siya ng away sa asawa niya, nabulag pa siya. Naapektuhan na 'yong kanyang negosyo. And so Tobit was, in a way, depressed, and to some extent, he felt suicidal. And in the Bible, there are people who are like that. Moses, Jeremiah....these are good people who also entertained that thought. And I'm sure some of us here, if not most of us, entertain that thought. I am not saying you really wanted to do it, but you were entertaining that thought. 'Tapusin ko na kaya ito. Tapusin ko na kaya ang buhay ko para wala na akong problema. Wala na akong konsumisyon.' I'm sure most of us entertain that thought.

And apart from Tobit, Sarah, in the First Reading, also entertained that thought. If you listen carefully to her story, she has seven husbands. And all of them died before approaching her. Kundi ka pa naman maging suicidal noon, ano. (laughs) Talagang depressed na depressed siya. And that is why she told the Lord, 'please take my life'.

I remember I have a friend who has had four miscarriages. And she was telling the Lord, "Lord, why like this?" She really suffered so much, she couldn't reconcile it. "Lord, You would give me, and You would take it away." The longest that she had, the last one, was a few hours only after delivery. She could not understand.

The point is - what is the big difference there? Tobit and Sarah did not, in the end, commit suicide, because they turned to God. They did not turn just to friends. They did not turn to alcohol. They did not turn to money or to drugs. They turned to the Lord. And because of that, they found that hope, that extension of life. And notice in the Reading, the author mentioned that at that day, at that time, the prayers of both Tobit and Sarah were heard by the Lord. Masyadong dramatic 'yong kwento ano. Hindi po sila magkakilala, but at that time, they were saying prayers together. And at that time, their prayers were both answered.

I don't want to pre-empt because some of you may not attend the masses in the days to come. But to pre-empt things, to make it more romantic and colorful for you, Tobit and Sarah will still meet. Not only were their prayers answered. You know why? The archangel Raphael was sent by God to them, to heal them and to give them more graces. And what will happen in the end? Raphael will bring Sarah to Tobit. Tobit has a son, Tobiah, who has been praying also for a partner in life. And in the end, Tobiah and Sarah will end up as husband and wife. What a story.

Kaya si St. Raphael ay patron daw ho ng matchmakers. Pag may nagtatanong po sa akin, "Father, sino po ba ang dadasalan ko kung sino po ang mapapangasawa ko, lagi kong sinasabi, pray to St. Raphael. It was St. Raphael who brought Sarah and Tobiah together. Those were desperate measures already, ano. (laughs) But you know, as I was telling you this story....alam ko namang interesado kayo sa mga kwentong ganyan....(laughs), I remember a favorite story of Cardinal Sin. You know, I have memorized the story already because he has told the story time and time again. And since I was his adopted child, I will imitate him and never get tired of the story.

There is the story of Alice of Montbard who entered a convent. She wanted to be a nun, but the problem with Alice was she was always sleeping. She was like Maria of the 'Sound of Music'. And so in the end, Mother Superior told Alice, "Alice, convent is not for you. You cannot be a nun." And so they sent Alice out of the convent.

At about the same time in a seminary, there was a guy who wanted to be a priest. His name was Tescelin. But every time Tescelin sees a beautiful woman, his eyes would whirl, and he would follow that woman, because he is always in love. And that is why the Rector told Tescelin, "Tescelin, you cannot be a priest. You are fond of looking at beautiful women. I think you should go out."

Alice was sent out of the nunnery; Tescelin was sent out of the seminary. And they were so frustrated, so disappointed, so heartbroken, they turned to God. They went to Notre Dame of Paris, and prayed to our Lady. And when they entered into the cathedral - you know Cardinal Sin is very graphic in his story - at the right side of the cathedral was Alice, crying and crying. 'Lord, I want to be a nun. But why did you not answer my prayer?' On the other end of the cathedral is Tescelin, beating his breast and saying, 'Why did you give me this weakness, Lord, when I want to serve you? I want to be a priest.' They were so heartbroken, crying and crying, until they got tired. And then Tescelin noticed that there was a lady at the other end of the church. And so he looked at the lady. And Alice noticed that someone was looking at her. And so she turned her face on the left, and saw Tescelin. And it was love at first sight. (soft laughter and whispers) And it was the beginning of a very beautiful love story.

Alice and Tescelin eventually got married, and bore seven children. And of the seven children, four became priests, two became sisters, one got married. And for the seven of them, one became a saint, four became blessed, and two are venerables. And Alice was beatified by the Catholic Church, while the cause for Tescelin is ongoing. A beautiful novel was written about them. The title of the novel was "The Family that Overtook Christ" (laughs)

Yes, from seeming hopeless moments, they turned to God. Kaya, turn to God. Malay n'yo, sa kakaiyak n'yo diyan, may magbigay sa inyo ng panyo (loud laughs), 'yon pala ang Tescelin ng buhay n'yo. At si Alice, abangan n'yo. Baka maraming Alice diyan sa paligid. Kaya magandang nagsisimba kayo, ano? (laughs) Nag-no-novena kayo...malay n'yo dito ho sagutin ng Diyos ang inyong dasal.

But kidding aside, as we continue with this mass, dear brothers and sisters, I just want to say this. Never give up. Always hope in the Lord. You have heard this. We always say, "Habang may buhay, may pag-asa." Pero habang may pag-asa, may buhay. Tobit, Sarah, Alice, Tescelin....they always had hope, because they always had God. God never tires, because He is the God of the living and the dead.

And so as we continue with this mass, we pray for that grace. Lord, every time I'm in doubt, every time I'm weak, every time I'm anxious, every time I'm depressed, I hear so many voices, so many forces pulling me apart. But Lord, in moments when I am so low, remind me always to turn to You. When I serve, Lord, remind me, I am turning to You. When I am working, Lord, remind me, I am turning to You. When I am at home with my family, remind me, I am turning to You. Because every time I turn to you, Lord, there is hope, there is grace, there is life. Amen.

Gospel Reflection

June 05, 2013

Wednesday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr

by Rev. Fr. Generoso "Gener" Geronimo (Episcopal Vicar for the Diocesan Clergy

Bahay-Pari, San Carlos Pastoral Formation Complex, EDSA Guadalupe)
12:15pm Mass, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord (Megamall Chapel)

Reading 1 Tb 3:1-11a, 16-17a

Grief-stricken in spirit, I, Tobit, groaned and wept aloud.Then with sobs I began to pray:

“You are righteous, O Lord, and all your deeds are just; All your ways are mercy and truth; you are the judge of the world. And now, O Lord, may you be mindful of me, and look with favor upon me. Punish me not for my sins, nor for my inadvertent offenses, nor for those of my ancestors.

“We sinned against you, and disobeyed your commandments. So you handed us over to plundering, exile, and death, till you made us the talk and reproach of all the nations among whom you had dispersed us.

“Yes, your judgments are many and true in dealing with me as my sins and those of my ancestors deserve. For we have not kept your commandments, nor have we trodden the paths of truth before you.

“So now, deal with me as you please, and command my life breathe to be taken from me, that I may go from the face of the earth into dust. It is better for me to die than to live, because I have heard insulting calumnies, and I am overwhelmed with grief.

“Lord, command me to be delivered from such anguish; let me go to the everlasting abode; Lord, refuse me not. For it is better for me to die than to endure so much misery in life, and to hear these insults!”

On the same day, at Ecbatana in Media, it so happened that Raguel’s daughter Sarah also had to listen to abuse, from one of her father’s maids. For she had been married to seven husbands, but the wicked demon Asmodeus killed them off before they could have intercourse with her, as it is prescribed for wives. So the maid said to her: “You are the one who strangles your husbands! Look at you! You have already been married seven times, but you have had no joy with any one of your husbands. Why do you beat us? Is it on account of your seven husbands, Because they are dead? May we never see a son or daughter of yours!”

The girl was deeply saddened that day, and she went into an upper chamber of her house, where she planned to hang herself.

But she reconsidered, saying to herself: “No! People would level this insult against my father: ‘You had only one beloved daughter, but she hanged herself because of ill fortune!’ And thus would I cause my father in his old age to go down to the nether world laden with sorrow. It is far better for me not to hang myself, but to beg the Lord to have me die, so that I need no longer live to hear such insults.”

At that time, then, she spread out her hands, and facing the window, poured out her prayer:

“Blessed are you, O Lord, merciful God, and blessed is your holy and honorable name. Blessed are you in all your works for ever!”

At that very time,  the prayer of these two suppliants was heard in the glorious presence of Almighty God. So Raphael was sent to heal them both: to remove the cataracts from Tobit’s eyes, so that he might again see God’s sunlight; and to marry Raguel’s daughter Sarah to Tobit’s son Tobiah, and then drive the wicked demon Asmodeus from her.

Responsorial Psalm PS 25:2-3, 4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9

R. (1) To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
In you I trust; let me not be put to shame,
let not my enemies exult over me.
No one who waits for you shall be put to shame;
those shall be put to shame who heedlessly break faith.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your kindness are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Gospel Mk 12:18-27

Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, If someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants. So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants, and the third likewise. And the seven left no descendants. Last of all the woman also died. At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be? For all seven had been married to her.” Jesus said to them, “Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven. As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled.”

HOMILY

The first line of our First Reading brings us into the heart of Tobit. Here, we can see the spiritual or the inner condition of Tobit. He is described as grief-stricken in spirit.
And I think, in one way or another, we can see also ourselves in the same inner condition - being grief-stricken in spirit. Great difficulties really come into our life. And I'm sure some of you are undergoing such great difficulties. And great difficulties can take us to many directions. Sometimes away from God, or sometimes closer to God. And so we can ask ourselves. In these difficulty that I am going through, where am I directed? Closer to God or away from God?
And not only that. Sometimes, we also begin to question the love of God. We begin to question the presence of God and we ask ourselves, "Where is God?" But I think we also sometimes find ourselves in two situations. If we are undergoing a certain kind of problem, we look for a solution. And sometimes there are solutions that we can find. There are problems with solutions. But there are problems also that we can call dilemmas. It is no longer a problem but a dilemma when sometimes, we cannot find a solution. When it is so hard for us to find the solution, we see ourselves in a dilemma. And when we are in a dilemma, we go deeper into questioning ourselves and our relationship with God. And sometimes, the question is - "Is this difficulty a kind of punishment that comes from God?" It is no longer a question of where is God, but rather we say to God, "God, have I done something wrong, that the reason why I am in this situation is because I am punished?" And that is what a dilemma is.
But if you look at our First Reading, rather than questioning God, rather than asking God whether it comes from a certain area in our lives that we are punished, we can see great prayers that come out during great difficulty. And I think, brothers and sisters, that should be our disposition. Great difficulties must also become great times for prayer. Great difficulties can also bring us to great prayers. And I think sometimes the greatest prayer that we can ever say during times of dilemma is this - when we can no longer pray. When we say to God, "God, I do not know what to pray. God, I do not know what to say." I think that is the greatest prayer that you can offer to God during times of great difficulties and dilemma.
Let us continue to read the First Reading and look at the prayer of Tobit. Great prayers happen during times of great difficulty. Amen.