Gospel Reflection

June 29, 2013

Saturday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

by Rev.  Fr. Matthieu Dauchez

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

Reading 1 Acts 12:1-11

In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them. He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword, and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews he proceeded to arrest Peter also. –It was the feast of Unleavened Bread.– He had him taken into custody and put in prison under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. He intended to bring him before the people after Passover. Peter thus was being kept in prison, but prayer by the Church was fervently being made to God on his behalf.

On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter, secured by double chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison. Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, “Get up quickly.” The chains fell from his wrists. The angel said to him, “Put on your belt and your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.” So he followed him out, not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first guard, then the second, and came to the iron gate leading out to the city, which opened for them by itself. They emerged and made their way down an alley, and suddenly the angel left him.  Then Peter recovered his senses and said, “Now I know for certain  that the Lord sent his angel  and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting.”

Responsorial Psalm PS 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (5) The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

I will bless the LORD at all times;

his praise shall be ever in my mouth.

Let my soul glory in the LORD;

the lowly will hear me and be glad.

R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

Glorify the LORD with me,

let us together extol his name.

I sought the LORD, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,

and your faces may not blush with shame.

When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,

and from all his distress he saved him.

R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

The angel of the LORD encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Taste and see how good the LORD is;

blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

Reading 2 2 Tm 4:6-8, 17-18

I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.

The Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Gospel Mt 16:13-19

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.  Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

HOMILY

My dear brother and sisters, Jesus did not focus on the weakness of men. He had spiritual focus, which are already exclusive to God, like forgiving the sins of men, for example, through confession. Following the will of His father, Jesus remained holy. And this is the Church. And it is really important for us to make a difference between the Church, where we find Jesus Himself, which is divine and holy, and His disciples who are part of the Church, especially the head of the Church, who are so weak and remained so weak. We could even say that the Church is all the more divine, since its disciples are weak. The victory of Christ rests on what is weak. 

Today, we are celebrating the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the pillars of the Church. We should rejoice because Jesus comes from heaven to look on its lowly servant, which is the Church. Amen. 

Gospel Reflection

June 28, 2013

Friday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

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

7:00PM Mass, Mary, Queen of Peace Shrine (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)

 

Reading 1 Gn 17:1, 9-10, 15-22

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said: “I am God the Almighty. Walk in my presence and be blameless.”

God also said to Abraham: “On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you that you must keep: every male among you shall be circumcised.”

God further said to Abraham: “As for your wife Sarai, do not call her Sarai; her name shall be Sarah. I will bless her, and I will give you a son by her. Him also will I bless; he shall give rise to nations, and rulers of peoples shall issue from him.” Abraham prostrated himself and laughed as he said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Or can Sarah give birth at ninety?” Then Abraham said to God, “Let but Ishmael live on by your favor!” God replied: “Nevertheless, your wife Sarah is to bear you a son, and you shall call him Isaac. I will maintain my covenant with him as an everlasting pact, to be his God and the God of his descendants after him. As for Ishmael, I am heeding you: I hereby bless him. I will make him fertile and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve chieftains, and I will make of him a great nation. But my covenant I will maintain with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you by this time next year.” When he had finished speaking with him, God departed from Abraham.

 

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

R. (4) See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
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. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
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. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.

 

Gospel Mt 8:1-4

When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”

HOMILY

One of my favorite characters in the entire Bible is Saint Peter. Saint Peter had a lot of mistakes. He committed a lot of blunders. I like Saint Peter not because I am superior to him. I like Saint Peter because like him, I have a lot of errors, a lot of blunders, a lot of mistakes. 

Saint Peter was a man of doubt. He did not understand everything that God did in His life. He failed in His test of faith. He sank in the waters, and he even denied Jesus Christ three times. But despite all these weaknesses and mistakes of Saint Peter, God loved him. Jesus Christ even made him the rock, the foundation of the Church.

With all my blunders and mistakes, I can say that God loves me, too. And so we rejoice today with Saint Peter, the victory of his faith, the victory that he proclaims, that Jesus Christ is indeed the Son of God. And we celebrate, not because of Saint Peter, but because of the One who made this Feast possible - our Lord God. 

My dear brothers and sisters, all of us fail in our test of faith. But like Saint Peter, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we can also profess and say to Jesus Christ, 'You are the King, the Messiah, the Son of God'. Amen.

Gospel Reflection

June 27, 2013

Thursday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

by Rev. Fr. Ramon Jade Licuanan (Head, Youth Ministry, San Carlos Seminary)
12:15PM  Mass, Mary, Queen of Peace Shrine (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)

 

Reading 1 Gn 16:1-12, 15-16

Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children. She had, however, an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar. Sarai said to Abram:  “The LORD has kept me from bearing children. Have intercourse, then, with my maid; perhaps I shall have sons through her.” Abram heeded Sarai’s request. Thus, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, his wife Sarai took her maid, Hagar the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his concubine. He had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant. When she became aware of her pregnancy, she looked on her mistress with disdain. So Sarai said to Abram: “You are responsible for this outrage against me. I myself gave my maid to your embrace; but ever since she became aware of her pregnancy, she has been looking on me with disdain. May the LORD decide between you and me!” Abram told Sarai: “Your maid is in your power. Do to her whatever you please.” Sarai then abused her so much that Hagar ran away from her.

The LORD’s messenger found her by a spring in the wilderness, the spring on the road to Shur, and he asked, “Hagar, maid of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She answered, “I am running away from my mistress, Sarai.” But the LORD’s messenger told her: “Go back to your mistress and submit to her abusive treatment. I will make your descendants so numerous,” added the LORD’s messenger, “that they will be too many to count. Besides,” the LORD’s messenger said to her:

“You are now pregnant and shall bear a son; you shall name him Ishmael, For the LORD has heard you, God has answered you.

This one shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him; In opposition to all his kin shall he encamp.”

Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram named the son whom Hagar bore him Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

 

Responsorial Psalm PS 106:1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5

R. (1b) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Who can tell the mighty deeds of the LORD,
or proclaim all his praises?
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed are they who observe what is right,
who do always what is just.
Remember us, O LORD, as you favor your people.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Visit me with your saving help,
that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,
rejoice in the joy of your people,
and glory with your inheritance.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
or:
R. Alleluia.

 

Gospel Mt 7:21-29

Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

HOMILY

Napanood n'yo na po ba ang 'Man of Steel'? Sino na po ba ang nakapanood ng 'Man of Steel'?

Just to share with you one striking element of the movie...When the character, Clark Kent, was growing up, as usual, he was always being ridiculed by his friends, by his peers. He would be at a losing end, siya 'yong inaapi, siya 'yong sinasaktan, binubugbog. At kahit mayroon siyang pwedeng gawin, di niya gagawin. You know why? It is because he was looking at this father. And his father will tell him, 'No, do not retaliate. Do not do something about the matter. Be still. Let it just happen." Kahit inaapi na siya, kahit binubugbog na siya. Iiling lang ang Tatay niya at magsasabing wala siyang dapat gawin. Until the time that his father will already die, he could have just easily pulled away his father from danger, but the father just signaled to him, 'no, just stay where you are'...and that was the death of his father. 

It came to light later on that during those times when his father will tell him not to do this, not to do that, there is something happening under or beneath the character of Clark Kent. There was this character building up within him. It was creating and forming underneath, that I think is in consonance with his title as 'Superman'. There was this super character, this super strength, this human character within him, that planet Crypton could not give. Because of his obedience to his father, later on, at the right time, it was seen in the movie that he had the character, the ability, the strength to fight his enemies, and victory and triumph came after all this time. 

Ano po ang sinasabi dito? In that movie, we can see that through the obedience of Clark Kent to his father, something happened under the circumstances and the fruit or victory came after the circumstances. 

God is calling us to be 'under and after' Christians. Look at the Gospel today. If you have an idea on how houses are built, you will easily understand the comparison or the analogy that Jesus made use. As we all know, the sturdiness of a structure relies so much on its foundation. And the foundation of every house is under the soil; you cannot see that. And you will just realize how sturdy and strong your house is, after a storm, after strong winds, after floods. 

That is what God would want to make us. We are not just to be 'above and present' people who rely on what we see on the superficial level, or the circumstances that we are going through. We are not just after what will happen now. The Lord is telling us, through the Gospel, that we should be conscious or more concerned about what's happening under us, and what will happen after. 

Papaano tayo makakasiguro na meron tayong magandang character, under and after? If we, as the Gospel says, obey God. If we will just be faithful to the Father. If we will just be firm and steadfast to God's commands and statutes, despite the storms in our lives.

Hindi natin alam, sabihin nating tapat ka sa pamilya mo, sa trabaho mo, sa buhay mo. But on the surface, parang walang nangyayari. But we don't know that a character is already being formed under. And in due time, after all these, we will see the result after, and the result is an incomparable reward from God. The under and the after. 

I heard the story of a friend this morning. She was so devastated. She was working hard, and she was trying to be fair and legal in all the processes that she goes through in her business, but circumstances confront her that many people are abusing her business. In spite of her being honest and fair, she is faced with not-so-good circumstances. And that poses a challenge. 

And this happens not only to my friend, but to all of us, I guess. May mga pangyayari sa buhay natin na matatawag nating unfair. I have been so faithful, why is this happening to me? I have been fair, wala akong inaagrabyado, bakit ito dumarating sa akin? Lord, I've been following You. I've been so faithful to Your Word. Why is this happening to me?

My brothers and sisters, the Lord is telling us not to be the 'above and the present' Christian. He is telling us to be the 'under and the after' Christian. A good character beneath or under, followed by eternal reward after. Let us pray, my dear friends, that we may not just be men and women of steel. God desires for us much bigger things than that. He wants us to be men and women of faith - men and women, under and after.