October 30, 2013
by Rev. Fr. Joel Jason (Dean of Studies,
Graduate School of Theology San Carlos Seminary)
12:15PM Mass, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord (SM Megamall Chapel)
12:15PM Mass, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord (SM Megamall Chapel)
Reading 1 Rom
8:26-30
Brothers and sisters: The Spirit comes to the aid of our
weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself
intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows
what is the intention of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the holy
ones according to God’s will.
We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.
We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.
R. (6a) My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.
Look, answer me, O LORD, my God!
Give light to my eyes that I may not sleep in death
lest my enemy say, “I have overcome him”;
lest my foes rejoice at my downfall.
R. My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.
Though I trusted in your mercy,
Let my heart rejoice in your salvation;
let me sing of the LORD, “He has been good to me.”
R. My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.
Look, answer me, O LORD, my God!
Give light to my eyes that I may not sleep in death
lest my enemy say, “I have overcome him”;
lest my foes rejoice at my downfall.
R. My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.
Though I trusted in your mercy,
Let my heart rejoice in your salvation;
let me sing of the LORD, “He has been good to me.”
R. My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.
Gospel Lk
13:22-30
Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went
and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few
people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive
to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter
but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and
locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open
the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are
from.’ And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in
our streets.’ Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.
Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ And there will be wailing and grinding of
teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the
Kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east
and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the
Kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first
who will be last.”
HOMILY
Dahil malapit na po ang Undas at ginugunita natin ang Araw ng mga Patay, naalala ko po 'yong kwento noong isang lalaki na dinalaw ng Anghel ng Kamatayan - the Angel of Death. When the Angel of Death appeared to the man, he said, 'It is now your time to die today, because your name is on the top of my list, and I always follow this list.' Kinabahan 'yong lalaki. So ang ginawa noong lalaki, kumuha muna siya ng pagkain, and then pinakain niya 'yong Angel of Death. Pero 'yong pagkain na 'yon, merong sleeping pills. So when the Angel of Death ate it, he fell asleep. And while the Angel of Death was sleeping, the man took the list and erased his name on top of the list, and put it at the very bottom. So natuwa na siya, nakangiti na siya. When the Angel of Death woke up, he said, 'Ah...you have been very good. You gave me food, and I was able to sleep after eating it. As a reward, I will begin from the bottom of my list.' (loud laughs) Ayan....so, siya rin ang mauuna ano. Sabi nga ng Gospel, '....some who are first will be last, and some who are last will be first'.
Alam po ninyo, in our Gospel for today, Jesus was asked a very simple but important question. 'Lord, ilan kaya ang maliligtas? Kakaunti lang kaya ang maliligtas?' The man who asked that question was a little bit....siguro may konting kayabangan 'yong tanong, eh. Siguro itong lalaking lumapit sa Panginoon, he was someone who was very knowledgeable of the law. He, perhaps, was someone who was very religious. Kaya ang pakiramdam niya, isa siya sa mga 'few who will be saved'. Kaya ang yabang ng tanong niya sa Panginoon, eh.
And as a response, what did Jesus say? Jesus said that salvation is not a matter of belonging in a list. It is not a matter of maybe buying yourself into, or out of the list. The essence of the salvation is not scholarship or knowledge of the law, or knowledge about Jesus. The essence of salvation is, ultimately, relationship - a relationship with God, and not scholarship. And that is why we should change our question.
At sa araw na ito, 'yon ang magandang itanong natin. Paano ba ako maliligtas? Am I going to be saved, because my name is listed in the names of those who are baptized? Am I going to be saved, because my name is listed among the members of the Catholic Church? Not necessarily. What is the Lord reminding us today? To strive to enter through the narrow gate. Ang ating kaligtasan ay nakasalalay sa ating pang-araw-araw na gawi, at 'yong ating araw-araw na pagsasabuhay ng ating pananampalataya.
Ang ibig sabihin, whenever we go out of the chapel....pwede kasing mangyari niyan na nagkakaroon tayo ng transformation. Halimbawa po dito sa loob ng chapel ay napakabait nating lahat, ano....pero pag labas natin diyan sa chapel, isusuot na natin ang ating mga sungay, at ise-celebrate na natin ang Halloween. Dito sa chapel ang sinasamba natin ay ang Panginoon. Paglabas natin mamaya, magmumukha na tayong mga maligno, mga demonyo.
Kagabi, doon sa balita, tinanong 'yong mga tao. Kasi po ang CBCP, nagpalabas ng paalala sa mga tao, that we should Christianize our celebration of Halloween. Because the way we celebrate Halloween today is not really Christian anymore. Eh ang origin naman ng Halloween ay talagang very Christian. Originally, Halloween is Hallow's Eve, when we celebrate the eve of All Saints' Day. And when is All Saints' Day? November 1. That is why on October 31, we celebrate Hallows' Eve. Ano ba 'yong meaning ng 'hallow'? Hindi mababaw ha. 'Hallow' means 'holy'. That is why whenever we pray the 'Our Father', we say '...hallowed be Thy Name...' Maging banal nawa ang Iyong Pangalan. And so, October 31 is actually a Christian celebration of the Eve of All Saints. Kaya lang ano'ng ginawa ng kultura? Unti-unting binago 'yan eh. Instead of the celebration of all saints, naging celebration na ito ng all demons and devils. Kaya 'yong mga bata, dinadamitan natin nang kung anu-anong mga nakakatakot na kasuotan.
Doon po sa mga medyo matatanda na dito, inabutan n'yo pa po ba 'yong 'nangangaluluwa'? Meron pa po bang nangangaluluwa ngayon? Wala na po yata. Pero noon yata, ang sabi ng mga matatanda, during Hallow's Eve, meron daw pong mga nangangaluluwa. Ano po ang ginagawa ng mga nangangaluluwa? Hindi po sila nananakot. They are not dressed like devils. Ang ginagawa ng mga nangangaluluwa, sila'y pumupunta sa mga bahay-bahay, kumakanta, and they are offering prayers for those who are departed, nang sa gayon 'yong mga yumao ay makabalik o makapasok sa kaharian ng langit. That was the origin of the Pinoy celebration of Hallow's Eve. Eh kaya lang ngayon, medyo gaya-gaya tayo eh. Gusto nating ginagawa 'yong nasa Kanluran. Therefore, we want to do trick-or-treat, tapos dadamitan natin ng mga maskarang mukhang aswang at tiyanak 'yong mga bata. (laughs)
The CBCP tells us that instead of dressing our little children like devils, let us dress them up like what? Maybe heroes. Or more properly, even like saints. Why? Para mas makilala ng ating mga bata 'yong mga banal. Dahil katulad nga po ng sinabi ko kanina, Christianity is not a matter of scholarship, but relationship. At magandang habang bata pa lang ay unti-unti nang nakikilala ng mga bata kung sino ba itong mga banal na ito, and we begin to introduce them to the lives of the saints, so that we, ourselves, as adults, will be challenged to live according to the lives of the saints, so that we can mirror them to our children. This is the way to our salvation. Hindi sapat na sabihin nating 'Panginoon, nakapagsimba naman ako, eh. Siguro maliligtas na ako.' No. In every moment of our life, we are to live out our Christianity.
May isang babaeng in-interview sa TV kagabi. Tinanong siya, 'Sang-ayon ka ba na ipagbabawal ng CBCP na magdamit demonyo 'yong mga bata?' Ang sabi ng babae, 'Eh...all throughout the year naman, si Jesus naman at si Mary ay nasa puso na natin, eh. Maganda namang once a year....' (laughs) Sabi ko, ano'ng ibig niyang sabihin? Once a year, demonyo naman (loud laughs) ang nasa puso mo. Minsan gano'n tayo mag-isip ano. No. Dapat, all throughout the year, Jesus will be in our hearts. And that is why Jesus is telling us - try to enter through the narrow gate. Because every day, our Christian life will be called to task.
As we continue this Holy Eucharist, we pray for that grace, that we may live our Christianity, year in and year out. Amen.
Dahil malapit na po ang Undas at ginugunita natin ang Araw ng mga Patay, naalala ko po 'yong kwento noong isang lalaki na dinalaw ng Anghel ng Kamatayan - the Angel of Death. When the Angel of Death appeared to the man, he said, 'It is now your time to die today, because your name is on the top of my list, and I always follow this list.' Kinabahan 'yong lalaki. So ang ginawa noong lalaki, kumuha muna siya ng pagkain, and then pinakain niya 'yong Angel of Death. Pero 'yong pagkain na 'yon, merong sleeping pills. So when the Angel of Death ate it, he fell asleep. And while the Angel of Death was sleeping, the man took the list and erased his name on top of the list, and put it at the very bottom. So natuwa na siya, nakangiti na siya. When the Angel of Death woke up, he said, 'Ah...you have been very good. You gave me food, and I was able to sleep after eating it. As a reward, I will begin from the bottom of my list.' (loud laughs) Ayan....so, siya rin ang mauuna ano. Sabi nga ng Gospel, '....some who are first will be last, and some who are last will be first'.
Alam po ninyo, in our Gospel for today, Jesus was asked a very simple but important question. 'Lord, ilan kaya ang maliligtas? Kakaunti lang kaya ang maliligtas?' The man who asked that question was a little bit....siguro may konting kayabangan 'yong tanong, eh. Siguro itong lalaking lumapit sa Panginoon, he was someone who was very knowledgeable of the law. He, perhaps, was someone who was very religious. Kaya ang pakiramdam niya, isa siya sa mga 'few who will be saved'. Kaya ang yabang ng tanong niya sa Panginoon, eh.
And as a response, what did Jesus say? Jesus said that salvation is not a matter of belonging in a list. It is not a matter of maybe buying yourself into, or out of the list. The essence of the salvation is not scholarship or knowledge of the law, or knowledge about Jesus. The essence of salvation is, ultimately, relationship - a relationship with God, and not scholarship. And that is why we should change our question.
At sa araw na ito, 'yon ang magandang itanong natin. Paano ba ako maliligtas? Am I going to be saved, because my name is listed in the names of those who are baptized? Am I going to be saved, because my name is listed among the members of the Catholic Church? Not necessarily. What is the Lord reminding us today? To strive to enter through the narrow gate. Ang ating kaligtasan ay nakasalalay sa ating pang-araw-araw na gawi, at 'yong ating araw-araw na pagsasabuhay ng ating pananampalataya.
Ang ibig sabihin, whenever we go out of the chapel....pwede kasing mangyari niyan na nagkakaroon tayo ng transformation. Halimbawa po dito sa loob ng chapel ay napakabait nating lahat, ano....pero pag labas natin diyan sa chapel, isusuot na natin ang ating mga sungay, at ise-celebrate na natin ang Halloween. Dito sa chapel ang sinasamba natin ay ang Panginoon. Paglabas natin mamaya, magmumukha na tayong mga maligno, mga demonyo.
Kagabi, doon sa balita, tinanong 'yong mga tao. Kasi po ang CBCP, nagpalabas ng paalala sa mga tao, that we should Christianize our celebration of Halloween. Because the way we celebrate Halloween today is not really Christian anymore. Eh ang origin naman ng Halloween ay talagang very Christian. Originally, Halloween is Hallow's Eve, when we celebrate the eve of All Saints' Day. And when is All Saints' Day? November 1. That is why on October 31, we celebrate Hallows' Eve. Ano ba 'yong meaning ng 'hallow'? Hindi mababaw ha. 'Hallow' means 'holy'. That is why whenever we pray the 'Our Father', we say '...hallowed be Thy Name...' Maging banal nawa ang Iyong Pangalan. And so, October 31 is actually a Christian celebration of the Eve of All Saints. Kaya lang ano'ng ginawa ng kultura? Unti-unting binago 'yan eh. Instead of the celebration of all saints, naging celebration na ito ng all demons and devils. Kaya 'yong mga bata, dinadamitan natin nang kung anu-anong mga nakakatakot na kasuotan.
Doon po sa mga medyo matatanda na dito, inabutan n'yo pa po ba 'yong 'nangangaluluwa'? Meron pa po bang nangangaluluwa ngayon? Wala na po yata. Pero noon yata, ang sabi ng mga matatanda, during Hallow's Eve, meron daw pong mga nangangaluluwa. Ano po ang ginagawa ng mga nangangaluluwa? Hindi po sila nananakot. They are not dressed like devils. Ang ginagawa ng mga nangangaluluwa, sila'y pumupunta sa mga bahay-bahay, kumakanta, and they are offering prayers for those who are departed, nang sa gayon 'yong mga yumao ay makabalik o makapasok sa kaharian ng langit. That was the origin of the Pinoy celebration of Hallow's Eve. Eh kaya lang ngayon, medyo gaya-gaya tayo eh. Gusto nating ginagawa 'yong nasa Kanluran. Therefore, we want to do trick-or-treat, tapos dadamitan natin ng mga maskarang mukhang aswang at tiyanak 'yong mga bata. (laughs)
The CBCP tells us that instead of dressing our little children like devils, let us dress them up like what? Maybe heroes. Or more properly, even like saints. Why? Para mas makilala ng ating mga bata 'yong mga banal. Dahil katulad nga po ng sinabi ko kanina, Christianity is not a matter of scholarship, but relationship. At magandang habang bata pa lang ay unti-unti nang nakikilala ng mga bata kung sino ba itong mga banal na ito, and we begin to introduce them to the lives of the saints, so that we, ourselves, as adults, will be challenged to live according to the lives of the saints, so that we can mirror them to our children. This is the way to our salvation. Hindi sapat na sabihin nating 'Panginoon, nakapagsimba naman ako, eh. Siguro maliligtas na ako.' No. In every moment of our life, we are to live out our Christianity.
May isang babaeng in-interview sa TV kagabi. Tinanong siya, 'Sang-ayon ka ba na ipagbabawal ng CBCP na magdamit demonyo 'yong mga bata?' Ang sabi ng babae, 'Eh...all throughout the year naman, si Jesus naman at si Mary ay nasa puso na natin, eh. Maganda namang once a year....' (laughs) Sabi ko, ano'ng ibig niyang sabihin? Once a year, demonyo naman (loud laughs) ang nasa puso mo. Minsan gano'n tayo mag-isip ano. No. Dapat, all throughout the year, Jesus will be in our hearts. And that is why Jesus is telling us - try to enter through the narrow gate. Because every day, our Christian life will be called to task.
As we continue this Holy Eucharist, we pray for that grace, that we may live our Christianity, year in and year out. Amen.
