Gospel Reflection

February 13, 2013

Ash Wednesday – Year of Faith

by Rev.  Fr. Matthieu Dauchez

6;30AM Mass at Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace (Our Lady of EDSA)

                         

Reading 1 Jl 2:12-18

Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment. Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing, Offerings and libations for the LORD, your God.

Blow the trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast, call an assembly; Gather the people, notify the congregation; Assemble the elders, gather the children and the infants at the breast; Let the bridegroom quit his room and the bride her chamber. Between the porch and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep, And say, “Spare, O LORD, your people, and make not your heritage a reproach, with the nations ruling over them! Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land and took pity on his people.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17

R. (see 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Reading 2 2 Cor 5:20—6:2

Brothers and sisters: We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says: In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you. Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Gospel Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

HOMILY

My dear brothers and sisters, we have started already our Lenten Season. It is Ash Wednesday, and our Gospel is very clear.

The Gospel is teaching us that if you make efforts public, if you make your efforts known by others, there is no reward. No reward. Why? Because this is one of the most important conditions of love - to remain discreet and humble in all our actions and deeds of love in our daily life.

I conclude that our Gospel today is a real program for Lent. It is a real program of love - of true love - for men. It is because all our efforts during the Lenten Season should be efforts of love. So it is a real program of love. If you give something to the needy, do not make a big show; this is for alms. Then when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; this is for prayer. And finally, when you fast, do not put a sad face; this is for fasting.

These are the three points of our program for Lenten season. It is very simple, in fact. The program's three points - true alms, real prayer, and real fasting - have one common condition, and that is, secrecy, humility, discretion.

My dear brothers and sisters, for this new Lenten season, let us give meaning to what we are doing. Let us give meaning to all our efforts, to all our resolutions. Let us give meaning, which means, doing it really, in deed, having real resolution. But let us not take pride of it. Let us be discreet. Let us put love in every little deed of our life. Amen.

 

Gospel Reflection

February 12, 2013

Tuesday – Year of Faith – Weekday

by Rev. Fr. Eric Gelino, Society of Jesus
12:15PM Mass, Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace (Our Lady of EDSA)

                         

Reading 1 Gn 1:20—2:4a

God said, “Let the water teem with abundance of living creatures, and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky.” And so it happened: God created the great sea monsters and all kinds of swimming creatures with which the water teems, and all kinds of winged birds. God saw how good it was, and God blessed them, saying, “Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas; and let the birds multiply on the earth.” Evening came, and morning followed–the fifth day.

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures: cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds.” And so it happened: God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle, and all kinds of creeping things of the earth. God saw how good it was.

Then God said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.”

God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them, saying: “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth.” God also said: “See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food; and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground, I give all the green plants for food.” And so it happened. God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good. Evening came, and morning followed–the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth and their entire array were completed. Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing, he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation. Such is the story of the heavens and the earth at their creation.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (2ab) O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place—
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

Gospel Mk 7:1-13

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.) So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?”  He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:

This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.

You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother, and whoever curses father or mother shall die. Yet you say, ‘If someone says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is qorban”’ (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things.”

HOMILY

In our First Reading, we heard about the Creation story, of how God created all creatures and human beings. And He made them good. All creatures - all of us - were created to be good, and we were also created for goodness. Our basic reality is to be good. We're not bad people; we're called to be good.  

And this reality of the goodness of persons is being contradicted by the Pharisees. In the Gospel for today, the Pharisees made judgments about the disciples of Jesus. For the Pharisees, they have interpreted God's law in a way that is focused on external actions as a sign of goodness or badness. That if you don't do certain things, you don't purify yourself, you don't wash the things that you use, like cups or plates, or you don't wash your hands in a particular way, you are an unclean person. Unclean, not in a hygienic way, but unworthy to come before the Lord. That you are not worthy to be part of God's Kingdom.

So the Pharisees have a tendency to make judgments of people. That certain people are unclean, and are not part of the community, not part of God's love, not part of God's family. For example, sinners, lepers, tax collectors, people who are not Jews, people who handle the dead, people who do not follow the rules - they are not seen by the Pharisees as belonging to God's family. They are not saved by God. Only those who are following these rules and regulations that have been created by the Pharisees are saved.

And Jesus came to the defense of the disciples. He first let the Pharisees see how wrong they are, in making these rules to determine who is good or bad. He said, as Isaiah prophesied, "These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me". The prophet Isaiah would say that the Pharisees do external actions as if they were following God's law. But in their hearts, they are dividing the community. They are selfish and proud. They don't want to be with the poor or the sinners. They just want to be part of the elite. They honor the Lord with their lips, but in their hearts, they don't really love.

And this is what Jesus is trying to tell us. Even if you follow all of these rules, but if you don't love, it's meaningless. God only intends us to love one another. To live as a loving community. The Pharisees were just focused on cleanliness, on being obedient to the rules, on doing the right things. But they did not focus on what is in the heart. Therefore, Jesus also criticized them by saying, "You say you honor your father and your mother. Whoever curses his father or mother shall die." They have a rule about taking care of father and mother. And yet, the Pharisees break this rule. If a person will say, "Well, I have an inheritance, or I have money which I am supposed to use to support my parents, but I will offer it to the temple, as an offering to God, dedicated to God", they will not stop that person. They will allow that person to just let his parents suffer, while he gives the money to the temple. And the Pharisees agree to that, because they get the money. They disregard the welfare of the father and mother, because they will receive the money that was meant for the father or the mother. That is why Jesus told them that they are hypocrites. The Pharisees have put the laws of their temple, the rules of their temple, ahead of the people.

If our rules do not help people, we have to change these rules. Rules are not meant for their own sake. We only make rules to help our loving. When we make rules, they are supposed to help us be more loving to others. When we say yes or no to things, it is to order that we love one another. It is to put order on what is harmful, and what is not harmful, on what is helpful and what is not helpful. We make rules, not to show who is more powerful or who is more rich. Our rules should reflect the law of love of God. Our rules should reflect the goodness that God sees in us. Our rules should allow us to come together as a loving community.

And so my brothers and sisters, let us be reminded by these words of Jesus. Let us not focus on external things. Let us not focus on measuring goodness, based on external things. Ultimately, it is based on what is in our hearts. We do good things or bad things, based on what is in our heart. If you do a wrong thing, you should look at what is inside of you that made you do that wrong thing. When we want to be good, it comes from the inside - that is why we are able to love, we are able to forgive, we are able to be patient, compassionate and understanding. Start from within, and then your actions will reflect what is inside of you. If you try to live up to the goodness that God has given you since the beginning of creation, then your actions, your lives, your relationships, will also be filled with goodness.

In this coming season of Lent, let us re-assess our lives, our actions, our relationships. Do they come from a heart filled with love, or is it all about following rules? Are we truly seeking to live out the goodness that God has already placed in our hearts? God is inviting us to live out our true identity - our identity as people of faith, people of goodness, people of love.

Gospel Reflection

February 11, 2013

Monday – Year of Faith – Weekday

by Rev. Fr. Ramon Jade Licuanan (Head, Youth Ministry, San Carlos Seminary) 6:30AM Mass at Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace (Our Lady of EDSA)

                         

Reading 1 Gn 1:1-19

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw how good the light was. God then separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” Thus evening came, and morning followed–the first day.

Then God said, “Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters, to separate one body of water from the other.” And so it happened:
God made the dome, and it separated the water above the dome from the water below it. God called the dome “the sky.” Evening came, and morning followed–the second day.

Then God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered into a single basin, so that the dry land may appear.” And so it happened: the water under the sky was gathered into its basin, and the dry land appeared. God called the dry land “the earth,” and the basin of the water he called “the sea.” God saw how good it was. Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation: every kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit with its seed in it.” And so it happened: the earth brought forth every kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit with its seed in it. God saw how good it was. Evening came, and morning followed–the third day.

Then God said: “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky, to separate day from night. Let them mark the fixed times, the days and the years, and serve as luminaries in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth.” And so it happened: God made the two great lights, the greater one to govern the day, and the lesser one to govern the night; and he made the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw how good it was. Evening came, and morning followed–the fourth day.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 104:1-2a, 5-6, 10 and 12, 24 and 35c

R. (31b) May the Lord be glad in his works.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
You are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.
R. May the Lord be glad in his works.
You fixed the earth upon its foundation,
not to be moved forever;
With the ocean, as with a garment, you covered it;
above the mountains the waters stood.
R. May the Lord be glad in his works.
You send forth springs into the watercourses
that wind among the mountains.
Beside them the birds of heaven dwell;
from among the branches they send forth their song.
R. May the Lord be glad in his works.
How manifold are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you have wrought them all—
the earth is full of your creatures;
Bless the LORD, O my soul! Alleluia.
R. May the Lord be glad in his works.

Gospel Mk 6:53-56

After making the crossing to the other side of the sea, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up there. As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him. They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.

HOMILY

"Ang lahat ng nakahipo nito ay gumaling." 100% cure. 0% failure. Lahat ng nakahipo ng laylayan ng kasuotan ni Hesus o palawit ng Kanyang kasuotan ay gumaling. 

Alam n'yo po mga kapatid, kung titignan po natin, napakaganda po ng kasaysayan ng Our Lady of Lourdes. Alam naman po natin, si Bernadette, noong latter part ng 1800's, nangyari ang tagpo kung saan ang Mahal na Ina ay nagpakita kay Bernadette, pagkatapos na maiwan siya ng kanyang mga kaibigan doon sa may tabi ng ilog Gave, na kung saan ay meron ding malapit na kuweba na ang tawag ay Massabielle. At habang siya ay naiwan sa kabundukan o kabukiran na iyon ay bigla na lamang nagpakita ang isang babaeng puting-puti ang kasuotan, na mayroong kulay asul na sinturon. 

At naglaon, nagsalita ang babaeng iyon. Naalala n'yo ba kung ano ang sinabi ng babaeng nagpakita kay Bernadette? Una, nagpakilala siya at ano ang sabi? "Ako ang Immaculada Concepcion". "I am the Immaculate Conception." In French?....Saka na lang po, ano? Assignment n'yo 'yon. Di ko po alam eh. (laughs)

Mayroon pa pong sinabi ang babae. Ano po ang sinabi niyang pangalawa? Naaalala ninyo? Sa lugar na iyon na pinagpakitaan ng Mahal na Immaculada Concepcion ay magtatayo ng simbahan o kapilya. 

Kung titignan po natin, I think more than the revelation of the name of the Blessed Mother as Immaculate Conception, are the very important words of our Lady, and that is to build a church at that place where she appeared. Makikita po natin sa puntong ito ang kahalagahan o ang papel ni Maria sa atin. 

Ang tunay na deboto ni Maria ay malapit sa Eukaristiya. There is no such an authentic devotee of the Blessed Mother who has no love for the Eucharist. It's always that way. Ang tunay na nagmamahal, namimintuho sa Ina, sa kung anumang titulo ang ibinigay natin sa kanya....ang lahat ng pagpapakita, pagpapahayag at pangungusap ng Mahal na Ina...lagi itong naglalapit ng mga taong nakakakita sa kanya o nakakarinig sa kanya, sa Kanyang anak na nasa Eukaristiya. That's the mark of a true Marian devotee. 

No wonder itong kapilyang ito ng Shrine ay nailagay po dito noong 1986 po ba? Sorry po, hindi ko pa po kasi alam 'yon eh 'no. Bata pa po kasi ako noon eh. (laughs) But imagine a celebration of Mary during those days. Later on, this Church was built. It's always that way. Ang tunay na nagmamahal kay Maria ay malapit sa Eukaristiya. Ang ibig sabihin po ay ang tunay na nagdarasal ng rosaryo ay nalalapit sa misa. Hindi isinasabay ang rosaryo sa misa. Hindi po ganoon. Pwedeng bago po magmisa ay mag-rosaryo, but we do not pray the rosary while celebrating the Eucharist. 

It is really ironic. Minsan may mga nakikita tayong may mga rosary sa pocket, sa wallet ay may picture ng Our Lady of Peace or the Perpetual Help, tapos hanggang doon lang ang kanyang faith. Hanggang wallet lang, hanggang rosary lang. Dapat ang may-ari noon, nakikita din niya ang kanyang sarili sa loob ng simbahan, at kasamang nakikilahok sa pagdiriwang ng banal na misa. 

A second point that I would probably like to share for all of us to reflect on, ay 'yon pong pangyayari na nahawakan lang 'yong laylayan ng kasuotan ni Hesus, ay gumagaling 'yong mga tao. Mga kapatid, ito po ang punto dito. One of the main reasons why Mama Mary would want us to receive the Eucharist...that Mama Mary would want all of us to be close to the Eucharist, is simply because in the mass, hindi lang po natin hinahawakan ang laylayan ng kasuotan ni Hesus. Bakit? Ano po ba ang nangyayari sa misa? Sa misa, tinatanggap natin - hindi ang damit, hindi ang laylayan ng kasuotan ng Panginoon - kundi ang tinatanggap natin mismo sa ating katawan ay walang iba kundi ang Katawan at Dugo ng Panginoon. Saan ka pa, ika nga. Saan ka pa. 

Kaya nga po kung sinasabi sa Ebanghelyo na ang lahat ng humahawak ay gumagaling, ako po ay naniniwala - matibay ang aking paniniwala - na sa mga tao na tumatanggap sa Eukaristiya, doble-doble o makailang ulit pa ang kagalingan na sumasakanya. Sa mga taong tumatanggap sa Eukaristiya, natatanggap niya ang kagalingan, di lamang sa pisikal, kundi pati sa kalooban. 

Mga kapatid, tayo ay humawak kay Maria na nagpakita sa Lourdes, Pransiya. Hawakan natin ang kamay ni Maria sapagkat siguradong dadalhin niya tayo papalit sa kanyang anak na si Hesus. Papalapit sa Eukaristiya, upang tayo ay magtamo ng kagalingan. 

You may also want to see: The Song of Bernadette (1945) - Our Lady of Lourdes Story

Gospel Reflection

February 10, 2013

Sunday – Year of Faith

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

by Most Rev. Broderick S. Pabillo, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Manila, Sto. Nino Parish, Tondo, Manila

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

                         

Reading 1 Is 6:1-2a, 3-8

In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of his garment filling the temple. Seraphim were stationed above. They cried one to the other, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts! All the earth is filled with his glory!” At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook and the house was filled with smoke.

Then I said, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember that he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with it, and said, “See, now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” “Here I am,” I said; “send me!”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8

R. (1c) In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
Because of your kindness and your truth;
for you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
when they hear the words of your mouth;
and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD:
“Great is the glory of the LORD.”
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

Reading 2 1 Cor 15:1-11 or 15:3-8, 11

I am reminding you, brothers and sisters, of the gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that he was buried;
that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures; that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. After that, Christ appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. After that he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me. For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me. Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Gospel Lk 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them.  They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

HOMILY

Our God is a powerful God. Nothing is impossible to Him. And we also know that God wills all men to be saved. Therefore, God can do the work of salvation by Himself. But according to His will, kahit sa Kanyang pamamaraan, He wants that we, poor human beings, will participate in the work of salvation. Hindi Niya po ginawa ang lahat. Gusto Niyang ibahagi sa ating mga tao ang kaligtasan. Kaya sa simula't simula pa, tumatawag po Siya ng mga tao upang maging instrumento ng kaligtasan. 

'Yon po 'yong paksa ng ating mga pagbasa ngayon. Sa Unang Pagbasa, narinig po natin ang pagtawag kay Isaias. Noon, tinawag si Isaias sa pamamagitan ng isang pangitain sa templo. Marahil 'yon po ang funeral ng haring si Uzziah. Nandoon po si Isaias at doon ay nakita niya sa templo ang kadakilaan, ang kaluwalhatian ng Diyos. Kaya't nasabi niya sa kanyang sarili, "Panginoon, hindi ako karapat-dapat. Ako'y isang taong may maduming lahi." 

Ganoon din po, tinawag ng Panginoon si Pablo. Sinabi ni Pablo na on the day of the Resurrection, nagpakita si Hesus kay Simon. Nagpakita si Hesus sa limang daan. Nagpakita si Hesus sa labindalawa, kay San Tiago, at sa bandang huli, nagpakita Siya kay Pablo noong si Pablo ay umuusig pa sa simbahan. Papunta siya sa Damascus upang maghanap ng mga Kristiyano na kanyang ipabibilanggo. Doon siya patungo nang magpakita ang Panginoon sa kanya.

Ganoon din po sa ating Ebanghelyo - ang pagtawag naman kay Pedro. At dito naman nabigla si Pedro sa nangyari. Hindi niya inaasahan na siya, na isang propesiyonal na mangingisda na lumaki sa lawa, ay hindi sila nakahuli ng isda nang buong gabi, ngunit sa araw na iyon, ang Panginoon ay nagbigay ng napakaraming huli, na halos malubog ang kanilang mga bangka.

Tingnan po natin ang tatlong pagtawag sa iba't ibang paraan. Ang isa sa isang funeral, ang isa ay sa kanyang pag-uusig habang naglalakbay, at ang isa sa kanyang pagtatrabaho bilang mangingisda. But their reactions were the same. Nang makita nila ang pagkilos ng Diyos sa pagtawag sa kanila, they saw that they were not worthy. Kaya nga sinabi ni Isaias, "Sa lahat ng kabanalan ng Diyos, ako'y madumi." Kaya sinabi ni Pablo na hindi siya karapat-dapat sapagkat siya ay nag-uusig sa simbahan. Kaya sinabi ni Pedro, "Lord, go away from me, I am a sinful man."

Pero kahit gano'n, tinawag sila, at maganda rin ang kanilang sagot. All of them wholeheartedly, generously laid themselves. For the prophet Isaiah, when the angel of the Lord said, "Whom shall I send?" Isaiah said, "Lord, here I am, send me." St. Paul was saying, "Though I am the least of the Apostles, I strive all the more. I work harder than the rest, because of the grace of God that was given to me." And we know the labors of Paul, traveling and passing through different countries - from Israel, to Syria, to Asia Minor, to Greece, even to Rome, proclaiming the Good News. In the end, he was beheaded for the Good News. That was also the response of Peter. When they got to the shore, he left everything and followed the Lord, when the Lord invited him that from that day, he will be a fisher of man.

Mga kapatid, hindi lamang po si Isaias, si Pedro at si Pablo ang tinawag ng Panginoon. Lahat ng mga binyagan ay tinatawag ng Diyos. Ang binyag po, para sa atin, ay hindi lamang paglinis ng kasalanan. Ang binyag ay pagtawag ng Diyos, hindi lamang upang makatanggap ng kaligtasan, ngunit upang tayo ay magbahagi ng kaligtasan sa iba. At 'yan po siguro ang madalas nating makalimutan. We are so concerned about our salvation, that we don't see the call for us to also share this salvation to others. We cannot receive the Good News without sharing it, as the Good News is for all of us. Kaya't bilang binyagan, tayo ay tinatawag din na magbahagi.

And we should not say, "Hindi ako handa. Hindi ko alam 'yan. Ordinaryong mamamayan lang ako, ordinaryong Kristiyano lang ako. Hindi naman ako nag-aral." 'Yan din ang dinahilan ng mga tinawag ng Diyos. "Ako'y makasalanan, ako'y mangingisda lang...ako'y bata pa..." But then, hopefully we can respond with generosity, as these three people did. Sana'y maibigay natin ang ating sarili. Because God who called us, will enable us to answer the call, if He finds that there is this generosity, there is this capacity to give ourselves to Him. Siya na po ang bahala sa atin. 

Hindi ba sinabi ni Hesus, "Darating ang panahon na kayo'y uusigin. Dadalhin kayo sa harap ng mga hari, sa harap ng mga hukom. Ngunit huwag kayong mag-alala kung ano'ng isasagot n'yo. Ibibigay sa inyo ang Espiritu, at makakasagot kayo nang hindi mismo nila matutugunan ang inyong sagot, dahil sa iyan ay galing sa Banal na Espiritu." At 'yan po ay makikita natin sa kasaysayan ng Simbahan. Simple people, but with great generosity, were able to do great things. Not because they were capable, but because they were generous. 

Mga kapatid, tayo po ay tinatawagan din. Ano kaya ang ating tugon? Sa mga tawag ay napakarami po. Alam po natin, kahit saan po tayo magsimba, napakaraming mga announcements. Nangangailangan ng choir member. Nangangailangan ng CWL. Nagtatawag ang Legion of Mary. Kailangan natin ng tagabasa. Kailangan natin ng volunteer na tutulong sa mga feeding programs. Napakaraming panawagan. Iilan lamang po ang tumutugon. 

Ngayon po ay ipinagdiriwang natin sa misang ito, at tayo po ay nakiki-isa, sa grupo ng San Igidio community, na kung sakaling hindi ninyo alam, ay nagmi-meeting dito sa EDSA Shrine tuwing Thursday nang gabi. Ito po ay bagong community, kaya't ipinagdiriwang lamang nila ang kanilang 45th anniversary. Nagsimula po sila noong 1968 sa Roma, ngunit ngayon ay kalat na sa maraming mga cities. At ano ang ginagawa nila? Marami po, ngunit tatlong bagay lamang ang pinaka-poste ng kanilang gawain. Sila'y nagtitipon, nagsasama upang magdasal. Sila'y nagsasama upang makinig sa Salita ng Diyos. Sila'y nagsasama upang tumulong sa mga mahihirap. So, this community, that is celebrating now, is then another gift of the Holy Spirit in the Church. It is another venue of service, na pwede nating gawin.

Ngayon pong Miyerkules ay simula na ng bagong panahon ng Simbahan, ang Kuwaresma. Kaya pupunta na naman tayo sa simbahan para tumanggap ng abo. Lent is a time of encouragement to generosity. That we may be generous with our prayers and sacrifices, not only for ourselves, but also for the world. That we may be generous in our talents and services. That we may be generous in praying. That is why we have many prayers during Lent. Nandiyan ang pagbabasa ng Pasyon, Way of the Cross, at iba't iba pa pong prayers natin. Lent is another moment, another invitation of the Lord. Every season in the Church is an invitation for greater service for the work of salvation. 

Kaya mga kapatid, sa paksa natin ngayon, ay hindi sapat na atin lamang alamin ang nangyari kay Isaias, kay Pablo at kay Pedro. 'Yan ay mga examples lang, kung paano tinatawag ng Diyos ang mga tao para sa gawain ng kaligtasan. At kasama po tayo roon. At dito po sinasabi sa atin na ang Diyos ay nagtatawag sa iba't ibang klaseng mga tao, sa lahat ng tao sa kanilang kalagayan sa buhay. At sana naman, tulad ni Isaias, ni Pablo at ni Pedro, mayroon din tayong generosity na tumulong at maglingkod. 

Tuwing tayo po ay nagsisimba, ipinagdiriwang po natin ang pagtugon ni Hesus sa Kanyang misyon - ang pagtugon Niya nang buong buo - so much so that He gave His body and blood, that we may have salvation. May this memorial of the generous love of Jesus also incite us to follow His generosity in our own call from the Lord. That is why we need to be more sensitive to the Lord calling us, because He does calls us. And when we hear His call, let us follow what Isaiah said. 'Here am I, Lord. Send me."