Gospel Reflection

April 06, 2013

Saturday– Year of Faith – Easter Season

First Saturday of the Month – In the Octave of Easter

by Rev.  Fr. Matthieu Dauchez

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

                         

Reading 1 Acts 4:13-21

Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, the leaders, elders, and scribes were amazed, and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus. Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them, they could say nothing in reply. So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, and conferred with one another, saying, “What are we to do with these men? Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign was done through them, and we cannot deny it. But so that it may not be spread any further among the people, let us give them a stern warning never again to speak to anyone in this name.”

So they called them back and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. Peter and John, however, said to them in reply, “Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges. It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” After threatening them further, they released them, finding no way to punish them, on account of the people who were all praising God for what had happened.

Responsorial Psalm PS 118:1 and 14-15ab, 16-18, 19-21

R. (21a) I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just.
R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.
or:
R. Alleluia.
“The right hand of the LORD is exalted;
the right hand of the LORD has struck with power.”
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.
Though the LORD has indeed chastised me,
yet he has not delivered me to death.
R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Open to me the gates of justice;
I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD;
the just shall enter it.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel Mk 16:9-15

When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

After this he appeared in another form to two of them walking along on their way to the country. They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either.

But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised. He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”

HOMILY

My dear brothers and sisters, when the disciples heard that Jesus was alive and had been seen by Mary Magdalene, they did not believe.

For one week, we listen to Gospels where people saw and met Jesus Himself in his Risen body. In our Gospel today, the disciples did not see Jesus but only witnesses have reported to them, and so those who were listening did not believe.

We cannot believe if we do not see or meet Jesus in deep faith. But there is a way to see Jesus, and that is through the sacraments. It is through the sacraments that Jesus gives Himself to us. It is very hard when we are evangelizing. We think that it is very hard to bring Jesus to others, when, in fact, it is so easy to bring Jesus to the people. Amen.  

Gospel Reflection

April 05, 2013

Friday – Year of Faith – Easter Season

First Friday of the Month – In the Octave of Easter

by Fr. Dominador “Domie” G. Guzman Jr. (Society of Saint Paul)

12;15PM Mass at Megamall, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord

                         

Reading 1 Acts 4:1-12

After the crippled man had been cured, while Peter and John were still speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees confronted them, disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They laid hands on Peter and John and put them in custody until the next day, since it was already evening. But many of those who heard the word came to believe and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

On the next day, their leaders, elders, and scribes were assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly class. They brought them into their presence and questioned them, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them, “Leaders of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 118:1-2 and 4, 22-24, 25-27a

R. (22) The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, grant salvation!
O LORD, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, and he has given us light.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel Jn 21:1-14

Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish. When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.

HOMILY

Pagkatapos po ng 40 days na Kuwaresma, ng ating paghahanda, at pagkatapos ng isang linggong Semana Santa kung saan ay ginunita natin ang Pasyon ng Panginoon, last Sunday, we celebrated Easter, ang Pasko ng Pagkabuhay ng Panginoon. At ito pong Pasko ng Pagkabuhay ay ise-celebrate natin for 50 days. Sa loob ng 50 days, longer than Kuwaresma, itong malaking kandilang ito na simbulo ng muling pagkabuhay ng Panginoon ay mananatili sa altar, at sisindihan sa bawat misa. The last day of Easter, 50 days after Easter Sunday, is going to be Pentecost Sunday.
Sa loob ng 50 days na ito, itong unang linggo mula po noong Easter Sunday hanggang sa darating na Linggo o bukas ng gabi, ang bisperas ng Unang Linggo ng Easter, na kung tawagin natin ngayon ay Divine Mercy Sunday, itong unang linggong ito ng Easter ay tinatawag nating Octave. Have you ever asked or tried to find out why it is called Octave Easter? Bakit may kakaibang pangalan ang unang linggong ito pagkatapos po ng Easter Sunday? Ang eksplanasyon po ay simple. Itong buong linggong ito, we call it the Octave of Easter, because every day, ang bawat ebanghelyong binabasa natin sa bawat misa ay ibinabalik tayo sa first day of the week, which is Easter Sunday. Maraming naganap noong maghapon na iyon ng Easter Sunday na nakatala sa apat na Ebanghelyo na hindi natin pwedeng sabay sabaying basahin lahat sa isang hapon o isang umaga ng Easter Sunday. And so the Church in the Liturgy has made it a point that for eight days, whether it is Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday or now it is Friday of the Easter Octave, it is still Easter Sunday. Ang Ebanghelyo pa rin ay tungkol sa mga naganap sa first day of the week, which is Easter Sunday. Kaya nga po sa buong linggong ito ay kailangan pa rin nating awitin ang Gloria.
Ano po ba ang halaga ng mga kwentong ito ng Easter Sunday? I think, my dear friends, hindi lamang kwento ito tungkol sa naganap sa Panginoon, kundi it is actually in Easter that we begin to realize that it is the Lord - si Hesus ay hindi lamang si Hesukristo, kundi siya ang Panginoong Hesukristo. It is the Lord, sabi nga po ni St. John sa Gospel po natin ngayon. The Lordship of Jesus happens in Easter time. Dito, dahan-dahang napagtanto ng mga unang alagad na si Kristo ay hindi isang karaniwang propeta, kundi isang Propeta at Mesiyas na kaisa ng pagka-Diyos ng Ama.
Alam n'yo po, ibang iba ang Resurrection ng Panginoon. Marami ang mga pinaghimalaan ng Diyos na muling nabuhay na patay. Si Lazaro, 'yong anak ni Jairo, 'yong anak ng isang balo sa Naim. Pero ibang iba po ang Resurrection ng Panginoon. Si Lazaro at ang iba pang binuhay sa kamatayan, were still subject to the law of death. Namatay pa rin sila pagkatapos. Si Kristo sa Kanyang muling pagkabuhay, sabi nga natin, death has no more power over Him. Ang Kanyang pagkabuhay ay isang pagkabuhay na tuloy tuloy. Kaya nga iba rin ang Kanyang naging katawan.
Napansin ba ninyo, hindi Siya agad nakilala ni Maria Magdalena, o ni Juan, o ni Pedro? Tignan n'yo nga 'yang katabi n'yo. Kung 'yan ay mawala ng tatlong araw, at muling makikita n'yo, makikilala n'yo ba? Natural, di ba? Wala namang malaking pagbabago eh. Pero si Hesus noong muling nabuhay on the third day, hindi agad nakilala sapagkat sabi nila, He was having the glorified body. 'Yong katawan na hindi na mamamatay. Sabi nila ang katawang 'yon ay katawang binuhay ng Diyos at its best, at the prime of life.
Eh tignan n'yo 'yang katabi n'yo. Pag nagkita kayo sa langit, hindi ganyan ang mukha niyan. Hindi n'yo 'yan makikilala, kasi ang Resurrection sa ngalan ni Hesus, is a Resurrection in the prime of life. Kaya nga sabi ko, "Hay salamat, magkakabuhok uli ako." (laughs) So 'yong mga nasa langit, que namatay ka nang 80 years old o namatay ka nang 95 or 75 o 13 years old, lahat magmumukhang guwapo at bata, ano? Isipin n'yo kung 95 ka namatay, tapos bubuhayin ka, 95 din ang mukha mo (laughs)...di ba lugi yata. Eh di mabuti pang mamatay ka nang 13 years old. So the glorified body is something different.
But brothers and sisters, what I think is very important for us to learn. Mula dito sa ating Ebanghelyo ngayon, paano ba finally nakapagsabi 'yong mga disciples that it is the Lord, na si Hesus nga ito, ang Panginoon? Sabi nga ni John, it is the Lord. Meron pong dalawang nakitang katangian ang mga alagad nang makita nila si Hesus sa kwento ng ating Ebanghelyo ngayon.
Ang setting po ng Ebanghelyo ay ang Sea of Galilee na kung tawagin kung minsan ay Sea of Tiberias sa wikang Latin, at Sea of Gennesaret. Iisang lugar lang 'yon. 'Yon po ang lake sa Norte ng Israel. Doon kalimitang nangisda, tumawid, nagbangka si Hesus at ang Kanyang mga alagad. Doon bumalik si Pedro. At ano ang sabi ni Pedro? "I am going out to fish." Ano ang ibig sabihin noon mga kapatid? Sabi niya sa mga kasama niyang alagad, "Wala na. Tapos na. Lugi tayo sa taya. Balik tayo sa pangingisda." Tatlong taon nilang iniwan ang pangingisda, ang kanilang mga nets, ang kanilang mga bangka. Namuhunan sila kay Hesus kasi akala nila, pag si Hesus ay dumating sa Herusalem at naging hari, isa sa kanan, isa sa kaliwa ang uupo. Kaya sabi ni Pedro, "Wala na mga kapatid. Balik tayo sa pangingisda."
Nakita n'yo? Pati 'yong mga isda, hindi nagpakita sa kanila. Nakuha 'yong kanilang negative vibes, 'no? Tingnan n'yo 'yang katabi n'yo. Negative ba 'yan? (laughs) Di ba ramdam mo 'yan kapag negative vibes, kahit malayo pa? 'Yong mga isda alam nila negative vibes sila Pedro. Down na down, kaya wala silang nakitang isda magdamag. But this was the first mark that they saw. Pagdating ni Hesus, nag-iba lahat. Hindi lang dumami ang huli, kundi mukhang umaliwalas ang kanilang pakiramdam.
Many times in that lake of Galilee, ganoon din ang ginawa ni Hesus sa kanila. Sa gitna ng bagyo na akala nila ay lulubog na sila, nagpakitang naglalakad sa tubig si Hesus, at nabuhayan sila ng loob. The very first indication that the disciples realized it is the Lord is that they saw that this Man who was there with them, is a bringer of power and hope. Kapangyarihan at pag-asa ang Kanyang dala.
Pero maliban do'n, nabuhayan uli sila, because secondly, pagbalik sa pangpang, walang pinagbago. Siya pa rin ang nagluto, Siya pa rin ang naghain, Siya pa rin ang nag-anyaya ng almusal. Jesus remains to be the servant. The servant who is powerful, ano po? Hindi ba noong Huwebes Santo, 'yon ang halimbawang binigay ni Hesus sa kanila. Hinugasan ang kanilang paa. Ito ang naging indikasyon nila upang sabihing si Hesus nga ito. Walang kaduda-duda. He brings power and hope, and yet, He continues to be a humble servant.
Brothers and sisters, tayong mga Kristiyano ay bininyagan sa ngalan ni Hesus na muling nabuhay. Dapat, 'yan din ang laman ng buhay natin. Unang-una, na tayo ay maging tagapagdala ng pag-asa at kapangyarihan sa buhay ng iba. Easter does not remove the wounds, the sickness. Nakita n'yo itong Paschal Candle na ito. Ano'ng meron? Huh? May apoy - simbulo ng bagong buhay. Pero tignan n'yo. nakatusok pa rin ang limang pako, simbulo ng pinagpakuan. Hindi po nagpa-derma si Kristo. Hindi Niya inalis ang mga bakas ng pako upang sabihin sa atin, "Easter does not mean no more tears, no more sickness, no more pain." Hindi. Nandiyan pa rin 'yan. Pero kung talagang Easter people tayo, we will be like Jesus, bringers of hope to other people's lives and to ours. Pero maliban diyan, tulad ni Kristo, sana'y patuloy tayong humble servants of the Lord.
I was praying over this, this morning kasi alam n'yo ho, itong buong linggong ito ay special din sa akin. Last April 3, exactly last April 3, I celebrated my 25 years as a priest, ano? (applause) Easter Sunday 'yon noon. April 3, 1988 was an Easter Sunday. At tandang tanda ko 'yong sinabi ni Bishop Bacani, sapagkat siya ang nag-ordain sa amin. Ang sabi niya, "Sana tagapagdala kayo ng Easter. You should be witnesses of Easter, yayamang inordinahan kayo sa Easter." Iniisip ko - how am I a witness of Easter? Bringer of hope nga ba ako?
And I realized, totoo. Ang isang pari, hindi naman sinusolusyonan lahat eh. Kung minsan, wala ka ring magawa. Uupo ka lang, makikinig, isang oras itatapon lahat sa iyo ang lahat ng sama ng loob ng taong nagkukuwento. Pagkatapos iiwan ka at sasabihin sa 'yo, "Father, thank you, I feel better." (laughs) Tapunan ng basura. Wala naman akong ginawa kundi makining, ngumiti, kumuha ng panyo, magpahid ng konting luha kung nakakaluha ang kwento. But I think that's how you bring hope to people. You just let them be able to see the energy to move on.
Pero pangalawa, sabi ko, bringer of hope, but you continue to be a servant. Nangiti ako, sabi ko, yes. I hope I will be that way. Kaya hanggang ngayon, masaya pa rin akong nagtataxi. Pumipila, nakikipag-unahan sa MRT. Masaya kasi naririnig mo lahat ng kwento ng mga tao. Hindi naman nila ako kilalang pari eh. Pag umupo na ako sa MRT, mukha akong pulis. (laughs) Lahat ng mura, lahat ng problema ng taong nakapalibot, rinig ko. Ngumingiti lang ako. Sabi ko, ahh....ganito pala. Ganito pa rin ang buhay. You can never be a servant kung malayo ka sa realidad.
Brothers and sisters, sana gano'n din tayo. Let us always be servants, wherever we are, and bringers of hope. And may the joy of Easter shine in us. Amen.

Gospel Reflection

April 04, 2013

Thursday – Year of Faith – Easter Season

In the Octave of Easter

by Rev. Fr. Roberto 'Bert' V. Fabillo, LRMS (Parochial Vicar, St. Peter the Apostle Parish Church, Paco, Manila)

12:15PM Mass at Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel, Greenbelt Makati

                         

Reading 1 Acts 3:11-26

As the crippled man who had been cured clung to Peter and John, all the people hurried in amazement toward them in the portico called “Solomon’s Portico.” When Peter saw this, he addressed the people, “You children of Israel, why are you amazed at this, and why do you look so intently at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence, when he had decided to release him. You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, this man, whom you see and know, his name has made strong, and the faith that comes through it has given him this perfect health,
in the presence of all of you. Now I know, brothers and sisters, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did; but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer. Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away, and that the Lord may grant you times of refreshment and send you the Christ already appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the times of universal restoration of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old.

For Moses said: A prophet like me will the Lord, your God, raise up for you from among your own kin; to him you shall listen in all that he may say to you. Everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be cut off from the people.

“Moreover, all the prophets who spoke, from Samuel and those afterwards, also announced these days. You are the children of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors when he said to Abraham, In your offspring all the families of the earth shall be blessed. For you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways.”

Responsorial Psalm PS 8:2ab and 5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (2ab) O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, our Lord,
how glorious is your name over all the earth!
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!
or:
R. Alleluia.
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!
or:
R. Alleluia.
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!
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel Lk 24:35-48

The disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place along the way, and how they had come to recognize him in the breaking of bread.

While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones
as you can see I have.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them.

He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”

HOMILY

I thought that this sense of pity for Christ, the sense for loneliness for what happened to Christ was already over during the Holy Week and Easter Sunday.

But while I was reflecting on today's Gospel my dear friends, this sense of pity for Christ once again reverberated in my heart. Because after suffering and dying on the Cross alone, here is Jesus alive, but now He is trying to prove to His disciples and apostles that it is He, indeed, who rose from the dead.

Yesterday, Jesus talked to His two disciples on the way to Emmaus and allowed them to recognize Him in the breaking of bread. Why? It is to awaken them, to convince them that indeed, He is alive. He did the same thing to His Apostles - showing them His hands and His feet. The pressure is still on Jesus, to prove to His followers that He rose from the dead. "It is I....It is I...." Aside from showing His wounds, Jesus had to eat in front of them, to let them know that He is alive, and to prove that all that has been said in Scripture is true.
But Jesus' effort to convince his disciples had an effect in their lives. It arose in them, not only acceptance, but true, deep conviction - a change of the will and point of view. Because of this conviction that the Lord is alive, Jesus' disciples were no longer afraid of the dark, as they know that there was Jesus, the Light. Isn't it that during the Easter Vigil celebration, the priest or the deacon who holds the candle sings or shouts, "Lumen Christi!"? It means "Christ the Light". That is why the disciples from Emmaus went back to Jerusalem, because they know that Jesus the Light will guide them. What happened to Jesus' apostles who were now in one house together with the two disciples from Emmaus? While they were conversing about Jesus, there came Jesus, who seconded to the truth of the testimony of the two disciples.
In our First Reading, we can see that Peter has become a different person. If you have seen Peter before and during the crucifixion, you will see that he is a different person, now boldly proclaiming that indeed, Jesus is alive. In Jesus' name, His disciples have become bonded together in proclaiming the Good News. And this is where we Catholics are weak. We are not closely bonded. In my fifteen years of priesthood, I have encountered and talked to Catholics who have become born again, and one of the common denominators for their conversion is that they never felt that sense of belongingness whenever they worshipped Christ. In their community, they don't feel alienated; they feel united in faith and in action. Sa atin iba. "Bahala ka diyan. Maupo ka diyan. Basta ako maghahanap ng kakilala ko. Dapat kakilala ko ang aking katabi, at baka pagnakawan ako."
This is one of the lessons that we should learn from Jesus' apostles. Because they believed in Jesus, they were closely bonded together. They were no longer separated from one another, they helped one another. In fact, that is the first teaching that they shared with the first Christians. They gathered together in the name of Christ, as one community, and they broke bread in the name of Christ. The apostles, with their deep conviction and strong faith, testified for Christ. And their testimony has reached us. We hope and pray that like them, we will also be united as Catholics in the name of Christ. Instead of focusing on our individuality, let us look at each other's strength on how we can show other religions or denominations that we are united in Christ. Our conviction on the Resurrected Christ should lead us to testify and to show that there is a difference between being a Catholic and a non-Catholic. We draw from Jesus' body and break bread, to share to others the Good News that Jesus is alive.

Gospel Reflection

April 03, 2013

Wednesday – Year of Faith – Easter Season

In the Octave of Easter

by Rev. Fr. Leo Nilo C. Mangussad, Rector, Shrine of Mary Queen of Peace, Our Lady of EDSA (EDSA Shrine)
12:15PM Mass, Mary, Queen of Peace Shrine (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)

                         

Reading 1 Acts 3:1-10

Peter and John were going up to the temple area for the three o’clock hour of prayer. And a man crippled from birth was carried and placed at the gate of the temple called “the Beautiful Gate” every day to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. But Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.” Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong. He leaped up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with amazement and astonishment at what had happened to him.

Responsorial Psalm PS 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9

R. (3b) Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
R. Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
R. Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel Lk 24:13-35

That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his Body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive.Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the Eleven and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”
Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

HOMILY

We always say that to see is to believe. But just like yesterday's Gospel, our Gospel today once again reminds us that seeing is not necessarily believing, and seeing does not qualify what we want to understand, comprehend or to believe in. 

Just like Mary who did not see Jesus at first, in our Gospel today, the disciples who were going to Emmaus also failed to see Him. Only when they saw the breaking of bread and heard His voice did they realize that they were with the Lord. 

In likewise manner, my dear brothers and sisters, we are always waiting, seeking, expecting and demanding a sign from the Lord. We ask the Lord to give us signs so that we will know that it is what the Lord wants for us. But the truth is - the Lord is always with us, and always speaks to our hearts. The question we should ask is - how sensitive is my heart to the Lord's presence, and to listen to the Lord's voice, rather than to demand a sign from Him?

Today is the third day of the Resurrection of the Lord. Are we united with Him because we recognize Him and we hear His voice? Or are we still blinded because all we see are the things that we want to see in this world?