Gospel Reflection

August 11, 2013

Sunday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

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

Reading 1 Wis 18:6-9

The night of the passover was known beforehand to our fathers, that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in which they put their faith, they might have courage. Your people awaited the salvation of the just and the destruction of their foes. For when you punished our adversaries, in this you glorified us whom you had summoned. For in secret the holy children of the good were offering sacrifice and putting into effect with one accord the divine institution.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:1, 12, 18-19, 20-22

R. (12b) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Reading 2 Heb 11:1-2, 8-19

Brothers and sisters: Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.  Because of it the ancients were well attested.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go.  By faith he sojourned in the Promised Land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise; for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God.  By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age —and Sarah herself was sterile— for he thought that the one who had made the promise was  trustworthy. So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore.

All these died in faith.  They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth, for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland.  If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return.  But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one.  Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.”  He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received Isaac back as a symbol.

Gospel Lk 12:32-48

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms.  Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.  For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

“Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.  Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.  And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants.  Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.  You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?”  And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?  Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.  Truly, I say to you, the master will put the servant in charge of all his property.
But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful.  That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly.  Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

HOMILY

There is a TV show, the story of which is that there is a CEO or a boss of the company who would disguise himself and go down to the level of the workers, to find out what is happening in his company. He gets to have first-hand experience with his lower-rank staff. So his staff would make him check the jobs and trainings. Throughout his disguise, the CEO found out what was wrong and how the company is being run. In the end, of course, those who showed a good example and tried so hard to work will be rewarded.

If Jesus disguises Himself and suddenly checks on us, what will He find us doing in our lives?

I remember, in one of my former assignments, I was so sad with the state of the place where the staff were residing. I thought of having the place changed, because it was so dirty, smelly and dark, and there were already water droplets coming from the roof whenever it rains. So I had the place fixed. My staff was so happy and they told me, "Father, pwede na kaming matulog sa sahig, ang ganda-ganda na, ang linis-linis". After one year, when I knocked on the door again and checked on the room - lo and behold - the place was again dirty, smelly and dark. There were cobwebs, and one could hardly see the floor because of the dust. So, I scolded the staff. I had the place changed and repaired, and what did they do to it?

My brothers and sisters, how many of us can probably say to the Lord, "Lord, You have given me a chance to rectify my life, and I have done well as Your servant". In the Gospel, we are being reminded to gird up our loins and be prepared. We will never know when the Master of the house will be coming. We have been given a lot of chances by our Lord to make our lives good here on earth. But how many of us would truly make our lives good, and be worthy of being called a servant of the Lord? How many of us would only receive, and whenever the Master is away, would do what we want? It is very difficult to serve the Master when there is no love in our hearts. It will be very hard for us to try to do our job or to convince ourself to love our work if we are just trying to impress, or only because the job pays well.  

But that is not the essence of our faith, my brothers and sisters. We do not pray, we do not come to mass, we do not read the Bible because we want to impress the Lord. No. We come to mass, we read the Bible, we pray, and we do well and good, because we love the Lord. And this is the expression of our wonderful faith. If there is love, serving the Lord becomes a pleasurable experience.

Whatever job we do here on earth is a reflection of our faith in heaven. When we do our job, is it because we love to do our job, and we don't intend to impress somebody? Or are we just doing our job, in spite of the anger that we have, because it pays well, and we like the people around us to think that we are good workers?

My brothers and sisters, let us ask ourselves. Are our hearts faithful to the Lord, and is there love in serving Him, or are we just trying to deceive ourselves and the people around us because we are only doing this to impress them, without a heart that says, 'I love you, Lord'?

Gospel Reflection

August 10, 2013

Saturday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr

by Rev. Fr. (Major) Daniel D. Tansip, VHS (Vicar Forane, Vicariate of Palawan, Military Ordinariate of the Philippines)

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

Reading 1 2 Cor 9:6-10

Brothers and sisters: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written:

He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.

The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

Responsorial Psalm PS 112:1-2, 5-6, 7-8, 9

R. (5) Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice;
He shall never be moved;
the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
An evil report he shall not fear;
his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear
till he looks down upon his foes.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
Lavishly he gives to the poor,
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.

Gospel Jn 12:24-26

Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.”

HOMILY

Isa po sa magandang mensahe ng ating mahal na Santo Papa - at madalas ay binabalik-balikan ko - ay 'yong paalala sa mga pari. At ang paalala sa mga pari sa buong mundo ay mamuhay nang simple lang - to live a simple life. At bahagi ng kanyang paalala na 'yong mga pari ay magkaroon ng sasakyan na hindi masyadong mahal, 'yong sapat lamang na pwede siyang maitawid o madala kung saan siya ay pupunta o kung saan siya ay may misyon.

Labimpitong taon na akong pari. At inisip ko na kung inipon kong lahat ang aking savings, mayaman na ako ngayon. Marami na akong pera ngayon. Pero bakit after 17 years of being a priest, wala akong bahay, wala akong sasakyan, wala akong savings, at malamang, pag namatay ako, mamomroblema sila sa pagpapalibing sa akin. Natutuwa ako na maging ang ating mahal na Cardinal Tagle ay napakasimple. Maging siya ay nakaranas na sumakay sa tricycle, walang sariling kotse, walang sariling pag-aaring sasakyan. Meron siya ngayong sasakyan, pero hindi sa kanya 'yon. 'Yon ay service car para dalhin siya kung saan siya pupunta. Wala siyang sariling pag-aari.

Magandang paalala ito sa atin. Hindi mahalaga kung ano ka. Ang mahalaga ay kung ano ang ginusto mo para sa ating Panginoon. It is not important who you are. What is important is who you choose to be, or what you want to be in life.

Hindi po umabot nang pagkapari si St. Lawrence. Hanggang deacon lang po siya. Pero kahit na siya ay deacon, ipinagdiriwang po natin ang kanyang martyrdom. Napakaganda ng kanyang halimbawa. Ika nga, para sa ating lahat ito, hindi lamang para sa mga pari. Si St. Lawrence ay pinagkatiwalaan na maging ingat-yaman ng kayamanan ng simbahan. Pero ano ang ginawa ni St. Lawrence? Ito ay pinamigay niya sa mga mahihirap sa Roma. Even if Lawrence knew that he will be arrested and will most likely be killed like Pope Sixtus II, ang ginawa niya'y higit pa niyang pinagbibigyan at tinulungan ang mga mahirap, ang mga balo, ang mga orphans ng Roma. Binigyan niya ito ng pera, ng salapi galing sa simbahan. He even sold sacred vessels to get money and give them to the poor and the needy. Nang nabalitaan ito ng prefect of Rome, galit na galit siya kay Lawrence at pumunta siya kay Lawrence para hingan ng report. Pero ano ang ginawa ni Lawrence pagdating ng prefect of Rome? He showed them what is most valuable in the eyes of God. He gathered a great number of blind, lame, lepers, orphans, widows - mga inaalipusta at pinabayaan na ng lipunan. And when the prefect arrived, Lawrence simply said, "These are the treasures of the Church." And for that, Lawrence was greatly punished and tortured to death.

My dear friends, we are reminded by today's Gospel of St. Lawrence's example of not being too much attached to power, prestige, material things and money. God calls us to work in order to feed ourselves and uplift our dignity. He tells us that 'unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat...but if it dies, it produces much fruit'. Our lives, our work, our business, should produce fruits. But the accumulation of such fruits - material things and money - should never be the end. Although we are entitled to the fruits of our labor, it should not be according to our own gain. Kailangan maibahagi natin ito. Kailangan nating tumulong sa ating kapwa tao, lalong lalo na sa last, lost and least - sa mga mahihirap at nangangailangan. Alam ninyong ang inyong community ay parang si St. Lawrence na rin. Sapagkat sa tulong ninyo, ilang daang parokya, ilang daang simbahan ang natutulungan natin dito sa Pilipinas.

Yesterday, I watched the news and felt amazed by what one popular actress did. As a way to celebrate her birthday, she celebrated it with orphans. Di man siya gumastos, malaki ang kanyang ibinahagi doon sa mga orphans. At habang siya ay ini-interview, napatingin siya sa mga orphans, at siya ay naiyak. 'Yon ang tunay na pagtulong sa kapwa tao. These are simple things that make others happy - this is great in the eyes of God. Marami po sa inyo ang gumagawa rin nito. While you have huge earnings, you also have a generous heart to help. I know one popular actress who is also supporting the Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel - our Greenbelt Chapel - silently....Nagbibigay siya ng Php250,000 at a regular basis. She belongs to the generous people with a good heart, like that of St. Lawrence. 'Yong pong pagtulong na may kasamang sakripisyo, 'yong masakit sa atin - 'yon ang tamang pagtulong. Hindi 'yong ating sobra. Kadalasan po kasi ang ibinibigay natin ay 'yong ating sobra, pero 'yong talagang masasaktan tayo, 'yon ang tunay na pagtulong.

The most unhappy, loneliest people in the world are those who only think of themselves - their gains, their whims, their satisfaction, their shopping and their vices, their food and pleasure, their labor and their rewards. Such people care little for those who are in need. And so my dear brothers and sisters, let us heed today's Gospel. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever loses his life in this world, will preserve it for eternal life.

St. Lawrence, even if he was already being tortured, uttered these very words before he died: "Turn yourself over to the Lord." We may not be like St. Lawrence. We may not experience what happened to him who suffered the pain of martyrdom. But we can turn to the Lord by continuously sharing the fruits of our labor. To die to ourselves and not to put our personal desires over the needs of other people. Let us pray in this mass for the grace, that through the example of St. Lawrence, we may learn to help and share our blessings to others. May the Lord, in His loving mercy and generous heart, continue to bless our community, that we may also be a blessing to others. Sa ngalan ng Ama, ng Anak, at ng Espiritu Santo, Amen.

Saint Laurence the Deacon - Pray for us

Gospel Reflection

August 09, 2013

Friday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

by Rev. Fr. Ernie M. Cruz, SDB - Rector, St. John Bosco Parish Church, Makati

6:30AM Mass, St. John Bosco Parish Church, Makati

Reading 1 Dt 4:32-40

Moses said to the people: “Ask now of the days of old, before your time, ever since God created man upon the earth; ask from one end of the sky to the other: Did anything so great ever happen before? Was it ever heard of?  Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live? Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, with his strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors, all of which the LORD, your God, did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? All this you were allowed to see  that you might know the LORD is God and there is no other. Out of the heavens he let you hear his voice to discipline you; on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard him speaking out of the fire. For love of your fathers he chose their descendants and personally led you out of Egypt by his great power, driving out of your way nations greater and mightier than you, so as to bring you in and to make their land your heritage, as it is today. This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart, that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that there is no other. You must keep his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you today, that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may have long life on the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you forever.”

Responsorial Psalm PS 77:12-13, 14-15, 16 and 21

R. (12a) I remember the deeds of the Lord.
I remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I remember your wonders of old.
And I meditate on your works;
your exploits I ponder.
R. I remember the deeds of the Lord.
O God, your way is holy;
what great god is there like our God?
You are the God who works wonders;
among the peoples you have made known your power.
R. I remember the deeds of the Lord.
With your strong arm you redeemed your people,
the sons of Jacob and Joseph.
You led your people like a flock
under the care of Moses and Aaron.
R. I remember the deeds of the Lord.

Gospel Mt 16:24-28

Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay each according to his conduct. Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

HOMILY

Our First Reading today is a reminder and an encouragement of Moses to his people on how they should think, reflect, and open their hearts to see the daily miracles taking place in their lives. And then he enumerated everything that has taken place - how they were freed from Egypt, the food that they ate, the support that God has given them towards their enemies. He narrated these all, for them to realize that God will not desert them. That is why Moses said, 'fix it in your heart'.

I think it is also a reminder to us. There are many miracles and the support that we have received from God. Let us fix them in our hearts that God, in many occasions in our life, did not let us down. That there is no other way that we can explain certain happenings in our life, except the miracle that was performed to us by God.

This is in order to prepare ourselves also, in moments when difficulties would come. The carrying of the cross will always be present in our life. Some of the crosses that we bear are light. Di masyado, inconveniences lang. Sometimes, wala ka lang ng kaunting ganito, walang kaunting ganyan. These are certain inconveniences, that we, sometimes, have been accustomed to. But there are certain crosses that are heavy. Certain crosses are seemingly so difficult to carry - whether crosses from problems, finances, physical injury or illness - but they are big crosses. And our constant reminder to ourselves of what God has done to us, of the daily miracles that take place in front of us in the Holy Eucharist, will allow us to go through life peacefully, all because we know that the God we believe in, is a God who is always with us.

As we continue our celebration this morning - and during the day - it is good to count the many good things that we receive, the many miracles, big or small, that we have encountered in our lives, showing that God cares. Even the small things - when we put them together - they are part of a big puzzle in our lives where God has a direct role. One who tries to always see and view the daily experiences in his life in God's eyes, would find so many instances where the hand of God is always present. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.