Cycle A - Year II:  

3 August 2014: 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical color: Green)

Matthew 14:13-21

The Lord answers all our needs!

When we pray in the "Our Father" that the Lord gives us our daily bread, what do we really mean? Are we asking only for food that satisfies our physical hunger? Do we ask only for things that we need for our day-to-day living?

Perhaps to the poor, putting food on the table preoccupies their daily struggle. Because satisfying their physical hunger for food is a step to liberation from poverty.

The theme of this Sunday's liturgical readings focuses on nourishment. Jesus shows his concern for our temporal needs by feeding the multitude that followed him. Because man is both body and soul while in journey in this world.

According to biblical scholars, Jesus' feeding of the five thousands is the only miracle recorded in all the four Gospel accounts (Luke 9:10-17, Mark 6:34-44, John 6:1-15, and Matthew 14:13-21).

Large crowd continued to follow Jesus, and as evening approached the disciples wanted Jesus to send them away. They were in a deserted place and there was no food provision for such a large and hungry crowd. All that the disciples could find were five loaves of bread and two fish.

Jesus took the little they had -five loaves and two fish- and giving thanks to his heavenly Father, distributed to all until the whole crowd were satisfied of their hunger. And there were twelve baskets full of loaves and fish that were left over.

What is the significance of this miracle?

It shows us the remarkable and overflowing generosity of God and his great kindness to us. The miracle of the multiplication of loaves emanated from the mercy and love of Jesus for the crowd that followed him. Because our Lord Jesus cares for the whole man, body and soul, that he takes care of our physical needs as well, including our hunger for food.

When God gives, he gives abundantly. He gives more than we need for ourselves so that we may have something to share with others, especially those who lack what they need. In other words, God takes the little we have and multiplies it for the good of others. 

And so we ask ourselves: do we trust in God's provision for our need, and do we share freely with others, especially the poor in our midst?

God never fails to nourish our material needs when we do our part and trust him. But Jesus also invites us to work for "food that endures for eternal life" (Jn 6:27). Jesus is referring to his "flesh which is real food" in the Holy Eucharist. For Jesus says: "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst." (Jn 6:35) Do we believe this?

In the Eucharist, let us ask the Lord Jesus beyond our daily necessities and open our hearts to better and lasting blessing that God wants to share with us, our bread of life in Jesus. So that in the midst of life's many challenges and trials, we persevere in faith, even as we acknowledge our total dependence on the Creator for our life and sustenance.

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

Ad Jesum per Mariam! 

Cycle A - Year II:  

27 July 2014: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical color: Green)

Matthew 13:44-52

Searching for God's treasure!

Treasure hunting will always lure adventure seekers because of its promise of quick wealth and easy life, and even fame. In the modern times, "treasure hunting" may take the form of big lotteries and other games of chance, like the popular Philippine Lotto perhaps. Would you take your chance in treasure hunting?

We will hear something about hunting for treasures in today's Gospel.

In his teaching ministry while on earth, Jesus speaks often about the kingdom of God. In

this week's Gospel, Jesus uses different images in his parables to describe what this kingdom is like -- the hidden treasure, the pearl of great value, the dragnet thrown into the see which brings in all kinds of fish. These images were every day life situations that tell us something about the nature of God's kingdom and how we need to respond to it.

A word of caution before proceeding further: we do not like to speak of spiritual things in mercantile terms. Obviously, the kingdom of heaven cannot be purchased or earned, because it is a free gift to those who believe. But by these parables, Jesus calls our attention to the cost of discipleship. How much is the kingdom of heaven worth to you? How much are you willing to give to have that intimate and eternal relationship with God (which the kingdom of heaven is all about)?

Let us reflect on the meaning and message of these parables about the kingdom of God:

The message of comparing the kingdom of God with a hidden treasure or valuable pearl is that God's kingdom is so valuable that everything else must be sacrificed for it. The meaning of "kingdom" here is not a place or a physical location; rather, the "kingdom" is a matter of a direct or close relationship of ourselves with God. So that to accept God's kingdom we are challenged to give up something important to us, like certain personal ambitions perhaps, or to abandon certain bad habits or ways of life, to take on a discipline and self-denial that are not always easy. Because there is no other way to true peace of mind and heart in this life, and to glory in the life to come. In the end, it is worth any sacrifice to possess God's kingdom and to live in friendship and communion with our Lord Jesus Christ.

The last parable describes the kingdom of God as a great net that catches various kind of fish, some worth keeping and some not. The point of the parable is to remind us that there will be judgment day to separate the good and bad catch. The "fish" worth keeping are whose who have realized and accepted the supreme importance of the kingdom of God in their lives, and who have tried, with all their strength, to conduct themselves according to God's way of life. In other words, the kingdom of God allows both saints and sinners in this life (like the message of last Sunday's parable of the weeds and the wheat). The Lord gives to every person the time and opportunities to become more and more transformed into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. 

Yet we must remember that the time given to us for transformation is not meant to be forever. Our lives on earth will come to an end. Therefore, Jesus reminds us today in this last parable that we must put God's kingdom first in our list of priorities. And if we do this, we will be counted among the "fish" that are worth saving.

This Sunday is also Fil-Mission Sunday. Let us pray for the Mission Society of the Philippines (MSP) and all Filipino missionaries all over the world who continue the mission to preach the kingdom of God to every people.

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

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle A - Year II:  

20 July 2014: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical color: Green)

Matthew 13:24-43

God waits patiently!

Our Lord Jesus continues to preach to his disciples about the kingdom of God through parables. The Gospel reading this Sunday tells us about three of such parables but all with the same theme. Let us reflect on the first Parable of the Weeds among the Wheat.

The gist of this parable: A farm owner sows good seed of wheat into his field. At night time, his enemy comes and sows weeds all through the wheat. So that when the crop begins to grow, the weeds grow as well. The farm workers ask the owner if they should pull up the weeds. The farm owner responds: "No, if you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat along with them. So let them grow together until harvest."

The meaning of the parable: The farm owner represents God who sows only good seed; the weeds, or the presence of evil in our world, comes from the heart of men and women who choose not to obey Him.

The Parable of the Weeds and the Wheat proclaims the patience of our heavenly Father. He decides to let the good and the bad seed co-exist while constantly nourishing the good seed with an abundance of grace. Thus, He allows the sun and the rain to fall on the good seed and the bad seed in order to let the good seed grow, become strong, and bear much fruits.

In practical life, the message of the gospel is that God's patience is directed at our salvation. God patiently waits for the harvest, bearing with slow growth and making room for repentance.

Our response to God's amazing patience and mercy should be a change of heart and a desire to change our lives and live completely for Christ. We should be overwhelmed  by God's merciful love and radically commit ourselves to seek His will in every aspect of our lives.

In other words, we should be willing to stand tall among the weeds in our world and produce the abundant harvest of virtue, prayer, and charitable deeds.

In the Eucharist at Mass, let us pray for the grace of patience with one another's shortcoming and to heed God's call for a change of heart and repentance. For God in his great mercy, constantly invites us back to Him after we wander. He is remarkably our patient God.

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

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle A - Year II:  

15 July 2014: 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical color: Green)

Matthew 13:1-23

Faith that grows!

In the past weeks hot in the news is the sudden and unexplained increase in the price of some agricultural produce, such as rice, garlic and onions, and vegetables. The official government pronouncement is that there is enough supplies of these agricultural products in the market. So why the increase in prices? Is their profiteering and hoarding for the benefit of the few?

Today's Gospel on the Parable of the Sower has something to do with farming and agriculture, and may provide helpful tips on our every day life as practicing Christians.

We know that our Lord Jesus Christ is a great teacher and many came to him to listen and learn. He used simple teaching methods, based on ordinary every day life to point to another order of reality. Among these is the use of parables, which are short stories and images taken from everyday life of his time to convey hidden truths about the kingdom of God. A good image and vivid illustrations can speak more loudly and clearly than many words, and thus capture the imaginations of his audience more powerfully.

What does the Parable of Sower say to us about God's kingdom? What is its relevance to our every day life?

The Parable of the Sower is addressed to those who can hear God's word, either through

reading the Holy Bible or through the official teachings of the Church. Our response to God's word, insofar as its impact in our every day life, is liken to the fate of a seed that is planted in different kind of soil. It either grows to produce much fruits, or withers and dies.

Our Lord Jesus himself explains the meaning of this parable to his disciples. Let us summarize its message:

Some of us hear God's word without understanding it, or perhaps totally ignoring it (like the seed that fell on the path; the birds came and ate it up)

Others receive God's word but only for a while. Eventually they get tired and give up altogether (like the seed that fell on rocky ground without roots and lasts only for a time).

Still others do listen to God's word, try to live by it but then get distracted or tempted by worldly pleasures and glory (like the seed sown among thorns and the thorns choked it).

And then there are those who listen to God's word to understand it, live by it, and thus produce bountiful harvest of authentic Christian living of love and service to others.

In practical life, it is our personal choice how we plant the "seed" of faith in our lives. If we want it to grow into a living faith we need to nourish it in the rich soil of our heart. As any good farmer knows, we must prepare the soil by receiving the Word with our hearts and minds and heeding its call to action.

In the Eucharist, let us pray that we listen and understand God's word in order to become good and practicing Christians. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit empower us to bring about a just and humane society, equitable distribution of goods, and good governance in public service.

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

Ad Jesum per Mariam!