Gospel Reflection

November 01, 2013

Friday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

Solemnity of All Saints

by Rev. Fr. Rufino "Jun" C. Sescon, Jr. - Chaplain, Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel (Greenbelt Chapel), Makati
5:45PM Mass at Greenbelt Chapel, Makati

Reading 1 Rv 7:2-4, 9-14

I, John, saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea, “Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the children of Israel.

After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.”

All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, and exclaimed:

“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?” I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”

Responsorial Psalm PS 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Reading 2 1 Jn 3:1-3

Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.

Gospel Mt 5:1-12a

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.  He began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”

HOMILY

At the time when I was teaching catechism to children, I asked them of their dreams and pursuits in the future. I asked them who wanted to be a lawyer or who wanted to be a doctor, and I could see the enthusiasm of the children. And then I asked them who wanted to be a millionaire, and almost everybody raised their hand. They all want to be rich. 

You know, when I see boys, I always tease them and tell them, 'You want to be a priest?' Dati-rati po ay mahiyain pa ang mga bata, reluctant silang tumanggi sa akin. Pero ngayon po, napapansin ko, tahasan na. They will say 'No, Father'. (laughs) Why? They say they want to have a girlfriend. (laughs)

There was this boy who said 'Father, I want to be a politician, so that I will have many bodyguards.' (laughs) Perhaps, also many cars. I remember, during the barangay elections, someone was interviewed, and when he was asked why he was running for the position of a kagawad, his answer was, 'Wala po akong trabaho, eh, kaya tatakbo na lang po ako.' For him, it is a new business. 

But that is not our topic. Today, we are celebrating the Solemnity of All Saints, so we will not talk about politics. 

And then I asked the children, 'Who wants to be a saint?' And you will see the uneasiness among the children. Just half of them raised their hands, but you will realize that they were raising it reluctantly and sheepishly. But I believe they were doing that, not because they don't want to become saints. I could sense that they were reluctant to raise their hands because they know that saints are 'up there'. We have put saints on pedestals, girded them with gold and surrounded them with flowers, that we think saints are untouchable, unreachable. That's why if you ask people if they want to become saints, they will say 'no', not because they don't want, but they're afraid they might not make it. They are afraid they may not pass the standards. 

But today, my dear brothers and sisters, we're all being reminded, we are supposed to be saints. I re-phrased the question and asked the children who among them wants to go to heaven. Everybody raised their hands. If you want to go to heaven, you have to be a saint. It is not negotiable. Sainthood is not optional. Sainthood is our identity as Christians. Perhaps not the saints that we know, not the likes of Padre Pio, Mother Teresa or John Paul II, not the likes of St. Benedict, St. Scholastica and St. Therese, but people who are silent and faithful. They are also saints. That is why today, we have this celebration. We remember not only our canonized saints. I am sure we have relatives who are also saints. That is why today, we pray for them. Kaya po tayo walang pasok ngayon, ay hindi para magbakasyon o makapagpahinga lang, kundi upang maalala ang mga banal at ang mga yumao. Kung kaya pa po, dalawin n'yo. Huwag n'yo na pong hintayin na sila ang dumalaw sa inyo. (laughs)

The silent and faithful ones are the saints, although most of them may be nameless. And we pray, because once they enter heaven, they become our intercessors. But you don't have to be so pious, you don't have to be so perfect. We can be saints, and that is what we are celebrating today. 

The Cardinal Prefect who approved the canonization of San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, was a good friend of Cardinal Sin. And before that Cardinal was appointed to Rome in the congregation for Causes of Saints, he was a psychiatrist. He was a psychologist. One time, when he was with Cardinal Sin, he was saying, 'You know, Eminence, for 20 years of my life, I have been reading the cases of psychiatric patients. For 20 years, that was my job - reading their stories. Now that I am a cardinal for the congregation of saints for the past 5 years, I have been reading the lives of candidates for sainthood. And you know what I realized? There is a very, very thin line of difference. Magkahawig na magkahawig lang daw ang mga tao at sira-ulo. (laughs) Di may pag-asa talaga tayo. (more laughs) 

The Cardinal Prefect said that both kinds of people do outrageous things. But the very main difference, the very thin-line difference is that, the saints could not live without God. In mental institutions, in moments of trials, they break down. In moments of depression, they have nothing or no one to hold on. But the saints, in moments of weakness, they have come to hold on. That's the only difference. Saints have the Lord God to hold on. 

And God is holding on for us. Some of us may have mistakes. Some of us may have faults. But we can still be saints, if we allow God to make a big difference in our life. 

I have met people. Ibang-iba ang pakiramdam nila kapag nakalimutan nila 'yong cellphone nila. Nakatagpo na ba kayo ng nawalan ng cellphone? Naku restless, tuliro o di mapakali, parang sirang-sira na agad ang diskarte o disposisyon. Ang mga saints, pag wala ang Diyos sa buhay niya, wala siyang magagawa, wala siyang mapipili, wala siyang mapupuntahan. 

Let us ask ourselves - if God is removed from the picture, can we still survive? Can we still hold on? Can we still be happy? If we will say 'yes', you still have to work double time to become a saint. That is simply sainthood - allowing God to make a big difference in your life. You don't have to be perfect all the time. But you always have to have God in your heart. 

One time, I saw a movie about a modern-day saint, and towards the end, a caption was flashed. 'Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future.' Today, let us relish these words. Every saint has a past. Di naman po lahat ng santo ay perfect. Meron din po silang mga masasaklap na nakaraan, pero naging santo pa rin sila. And us who are sinners, we still have a future. We can still become saints. 

As we continue with this mass, let us ask the Lord for that grace. Lord, You have called us to be holy. Not simply the pious type, not the immaculate type, but a holy person who struggles. A holy person who tries his very best. A holy person who holds on to God at all costs. Lord, pardon us when we forget our calling. Pardon us when we forget You in our lives. Remind us always Lord, that our final destination, our real goal is to be with You. 

We are saints. Whether we like it or not, that is our vocation, so help us Lord. Amen. 

Gospel Reflection

October 31, 2013

Thursday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

by Rev. Fr. Benjo Fajota, Vice Rector, Mary, Queen of Peace Shrine (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)
5:30 PM Mass at the EDSA Shrine

Reading 1 Rom 8:31b-39

Brothers and sisters: If God is for us, who can be against us? He did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him? Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. Who will condemn? It is Christ Jesus who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?

As it is written:

For your sake we are being slain all the day;
we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.

No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Responsorial Psalm PS 109:21-22, 26-27, 30-31

R. (26b) Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.
Do you, O GOD, my Lord, deal kindly with me for your name’s sake;
in your generous mercy rescue me;
For I am wretched and poor,
and my heart is pierced within me.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.
Help me, O LORD, my God;
save me, in your mercy,
And let them know that this is your hand;
that you, O LORD, have done this.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.
I will speak my thanks earnestly to the LORD,
and in the midst of the throng I will praise him,
For he stood at the right hand of the poor man,
to save him from those who would condemn his soul.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.

Gospel Lk 13:31-35

Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you.” He replied, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I accomplish my purpose. Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day, for it is impossible that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem.’

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were unwilling! Behold, your house will be abandoned. But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

HOMILY

How does one become a saint? I will tell you true stories.

There was one religious sister who loved Mathematics for 50 years in high school and in college. When she was no longer able to teach, she set up an apostolate that gathered day-old bread from different bake shops, and distributed these to the poor. When she could no longer do this, she was placed in a retirement house. Walking with a cane and a bent back, she would always greet everyone that she comes across with, with a smile. One day, a younger sister told her, 'Sister, I just want you to know that your smile means a lot to me.' And to this, she answered, 'This is all I have to give.'

There is also this 9-year old boy who was able to save his allowances to buy an old poster of Titanic. When he learned that the mother of his best friend was going to be operated on and they don't have enough money, he sold his poster. A TV program learned about it and bought the poster for $60,000.

There is also this family which lost their house on fire. While they were watching, they were so shocked and could not do anything because everything was burned. Then there is this pizza delivery boy who was passing through. He decided to give a box of pizza to the family who was so shocked and distraught over the burned house. After giving the pizza, he already left. 

Another story is that of St. Gianna Beretta Molla, the last Italian saint who was canonized by Pope John Paul II. For her fourth child, she learned that she had a tumor in her ovary, and that the doctors told her that she would die if her pregnancy would push through. During the day of her delivery, she told the doctors, 'If you are to make a decision between me and my child, protect the child. Deliver her, forget about me.'

My dear brothers and sisters, sainthood is not about doing great things and a lot of sacrifices. Sainthood is about doing and seeing things with the eyes of Jesus Christ. It is doing and seeing things differently. For they know that religion is not a set of rules, not a set of commandments, not a set of prayers, but a relationship with God, and doing and seeing things for the sake of God's Kingdom. 

Let us all be saints. Amen. 

Gospel Reflection

October 30, 2013

Wednesday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time

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)

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.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 13:4-5, 6

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.

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.