Cycle A - Year II:  

2 March 2014: 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical color: Green)

Matthew 6:24-34

Trust that God will provide!

I overheard a conversation between two buddies that the best argument to stay faithful to one's wife is that "you cannot serve two masters!" Of course, it was said in gist, but the wise words have their biblical roots.

Kidding aside, what do we mean by the word "master"? Our "master" is that which governs our thoughts, shape our ideals, controls the desire of the heart and the values we choose to live by. So now, who is the "master" in charge of your life?

In the Gospel Jesus tells his disciples that they cannot serve two masters: God and the world. It is not possible that someone wants to submit to God but also lives according to the world's standard of success and fulfillment.

In practical life, we are ruled by many different things, like love of money or possession, the power of position, the glamour of wealth and prestige, the driving force of unruly passions and addictions. Ultimately, our choice boils down to two: God and mammon. What is "mammon"? It stands for "material wealth or possessions", or whatever tends to "control our appetites and desires."

We know from experience that it is always a struggle to choose between God against the temptations  of materials things in our world. Especially if we are shortsighted, meaning we think only of the here and now, we readily choose wealth.

Yet, the truth is that material things no matter how enormous will surely disappear someday. It may stay with us and enjoy it for a period of time but eventually it will leave us or we will leave it. Because there is no security in material wealth.

Jesus tells his disciples that God alone has the power to set them free from the slavery of sin and fear. He uses an illustration from nature --the birds and the flowers-- to show how God provides for them in the natural order of God's creation. So how much more can we, as God's children, rely upon God's providential care?

Every time we recite the "Our Father" we are reminded that God is our provider when we pray: "Give us this day our daily bread". Because bread is the very staple of life, and symbol of all that we need to live and grow.

In sum, Jesus does not say that we don't have to work to earn our living. But he tells us not to worry about tomorrow and put our total trust that God will provide for our needs. Because our God is utterly reliable.

A blessed Sunday to us all, and thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle A - Year II:  

23 February 2014: 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical color: Green)

Matthew 5:38-48

Love for God conquers all!

The month of February is a celebration of love that is observed in many cultures around the world. And the highlight of such celebration was Valentine's Day last February 14, when we shared flowers, gifts and other symbols of love with dear ones and special someone.

But is our love reserved only for the good people? In today's Gospel Jesus challenges us to get out of our "comfort zone" and embrace with love all people. Because our love for God conquers all, the good people and the bad people as well.

Let us reflect on God's all-embracing love.

Jesus makes it clear in today's readings that in God's love there is no room for retaliation. We must not only avoid returning evil for evil, but we must seek the good of those who wish us ill.

Of course, it does not mean that as believers in Christ we remain passive before evil and injustice around us. Certainly we must fight evil and injustice, but not out of revenge and retaliation but conquering them with love and good deeds. You think that is impossible and impractical?

Well, let us ask ourselves what really makes Christianity distinct from other religions? It is God's grace -- , treating others, not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated-- that is, with loving kindness and mercy. Leave to God to render justice to those who do us wrong.

The forgiving Christ hanging on the cross is our model. Because only the cross of Jesus Christ can free us from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment, and gives us the courage to return evil with good. Such love and grace gives us the power to heal and to save from destruction.

Because if we persist in the old law of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" sooner or later we all become a blind and toothless society.

A blessed Sunday to us all, and thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle A - Year II:  

16 February 2014: 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical color: Green)

Matthew 5:20-22a, 27-28, 33-34a, 37

Beyond the external to inner conviction!

Living in our material world can sometimes be deceiving. Because not everything is really what  it seems. That is why perhaps the romantics would want to say that real "beauty" is not seen by the eyes but felt only by the heart, (a timely message as we celebrate Valentine's Day this month).

The Gospel message this Sunday has something to do with inner realities over and above what is tangible to the eyes. Jesus tells us that to be his followers requires more than external observance of God's laws but more from our inner convictions.

Jesus lays down a condition to enter the kingdom of heaven. That is, one's "righteousness" must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees of his time. Who were these people? Well, the Scribes and Pharisees prided themselves on their meticulous observance of the law. Yet in Jesus' standard, there seems to be something missing in their observance of the law.

So what then is "righteousness"?  Simply put, it means one must be in right relationship with God.  To do that, Jesus asks his followers to get radical, meaning, to go to the roots of our thoughts, words, and deeds by asking ourselves "is this thought, word or act pleasing to the Lord and worthy of his blessing?"

Jesus uses the significance of the Ten Commandments to teach his followers to go beyond surface-level spirituality  and instead go deeper into inner motivation. Today's Gospel gives us some instances to illustrate this:

For example God's commandment on killing. His command is not simply to avoid murder but not to harbor ill feelings and not to speak evil against our neighbor. Angry and insulting words are condemned because they violate a person's dignity.

And Jesus is asking us not only not to physically commit adultery but not to lust over others. Because lustful thoughts violate the virtue of chastity as much as an act of adultery itself.

Also, Jesus prohibits us from taking oaths and demands that everything we say be truthful so that there is no need for any oath to back up our claims.

In sum, the demands of discipleship are tough and challenging. In a word, Jesus demands not only the external avoidance of evil but to take away as well any interior precondition that can lead us to commit sin. But we must not lose heart. Because our sanctification will come about through the action of the Holy Spirit, when we respond, repent, and sustain our efforts to live in right relationship with the Lord.

A blessed Sunday to us all, and thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!