Cycle C - Year II:
3 January 2016: Solemnity of the Lord's Epiphany
(Liturgical color: White)

Gospel: Read  Matthew 2:1-12


The Lord's Epiphany: salvation is for all!

For busy people time flies so fast indeed.  So now we realize that Christmas 2015 is now just part of our human experience. And now it's time to welcome the New Year 2016 with much hope and enthusiasm and to enjoy the wonderful gift of living.

If you missed receiving gifts last Christmas, the Feast of the Lord's Epiphany, or traditionally known as the Feast of the Three Kings, may be your last chance to receive gifts from dear someone. So make your wish upon the star.

The Gospel narrative from Matthew is about the journey of the Three Kings (or Magi, or Wise Men)

in search for the infant Jesus guided by a star. They want to pay homage to the new born Jesus with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Western Church assigned them the names of Melchor (believed to be a Babylonian scholar), Caspar (a Persian scholar), and Balthazar (an Arab scholar). And so because these three kings brought gifts to the baby Jesus, so by tradition their feast today is also considered the last day for sharing Christmas gifts with our loved ones.

Let us understand the meaning and significance of the Solemnity of the Lord's Epiphany.

The word "epiphany" means manifestation or appearance of God in person like us through the humanity of Jesus. In the Lord's epiphany we see the plan of God to give His only Son as King and Savior, not just for the Jewish people, who are God's chosen people in the Old Testament, but to all nations as well. Because the Three Kings, or Wise Men, or Magi were foreigners and so non-Jews.  Thus, the implication of today's feast is that the Lord Jesus comes to both Jews and Gentiles (or non-Jews), including our present generation of followers of Christ, so that all may find true and lasting peace with God.

Also, the gifts of the Three Kings have their own symbolic significance to the divine identity and the mission of our Lord Jesus. Thus, gold has great value and symbolizes the kingship of Jesus. Frankincense is a perfume and the symbol of the divinity of Jesus. And myrrh is an anointing oil commonly used in Jesus' time, which symbolizes the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross that brought about the salvation of the whole of humanity. These gifts to the newborn Savior speak of their respect for our Lord's divine identity and the realism about His death at the hands of humanity.

What is the relevance of the Feast of the Lord's Epiphany to our lives today? Let us consider the following reflections:

Epiphany tells us that God became visible and audible for us in the person of Jesus, who is the human image of the invisible God. So that even to our generation we experience God living among us and within us in the sacramental present in the Holy Eucharist.

Epiphany makes known to us the way to the Father through Jesus Christ. Our Lord leads the path in our journey in this present life to our heavenly home. Jesus Himself declares: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me." (Jn 14:6)

Epiphany makes known to us God's plan for all men and women to be saved from the fall of our first parents Adam and Eve, by believing that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Because God's kingdom is meant for all people of all generations.

In sum, as we conclude our celebration of the Christmas season, we pray that the examples of the Three Kings, Magi, or Wise Men, be our guide in our own spiritual pilgrimage through the New Year 2016. For like the Three Kings, we too acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Savior and do Him homage. And like the Three Kings,  we also open our gifts to the infant Jesus, our gifts of unwavering faith amidst the temptation of "religion by convenience" in our present generation, and so commit our undivided loyalty and faithfulness to Christ's teaching through His Church.

In the Holy Eucharist, let us pray that the Lord's epiphany or revelation of Himself on this Feast shine forth on everyone so that the grace of salvation may be shared by all.

Happy Three Kings to all, and thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle C - Year II:

1 January 2016: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
(Liturgical color: White)

Gospel: Read  Luke 2:16-21


We begin a new journey with Mary, Mother of God.....

With great joy, I greet everyone "A Happy and Prosperous New Year 2016!"

New Year fills our heart with new hope, inspiring us to reach out to new opportunities, and celebrate anew the most precious gift of life. It is like a re-birth in a way, a chance to re-make our dreams and our life.

Our Holy Mother Church opens the new calendar year by proclaiming Mary as "Mother of God". It is a holy day of obligation for the Catholic faithful, meaning we all go to Mass like in a Sunday.

A brief backgrounder on this particular title of Mary. It was the Council of Ephesus which affirmed in June 431 that Mary can rightfully be called "Mother of God."

Let us reflect on this title of our Blessed Mother.

Since Mary is the mother of Jesus, it must be concluded that she is also the Mother of God.  We can affirm this fact by logical syllogism: "If Mary is the mother of Jesus, and if Jesus is God, then Mary is the Mother of God."

However, it is important to clarify that "although Mary is the Mother of God, she is not his mother in the sense that she is older than God or the source of her Son's divinity, for she is neither. Rather, we say that she is the Mother of God in the sense that she carried in her womb a divine person -- Jesus Christ, God in the flesh -- and in the sense that she contributed the generic matter to the human form God took in Jesus Christ." (from Catholic Answers@www.catholic.com)

So today we honor Mary, Mother of God, for her courage, faith, devotion and humility. Like all other mothers, Mary must have felt afraid at certain moments in her maternal role, like when the child Jesus was lost and found in the Temple after three days, and also during the agony and death of the grown-up Jesus. But Mary's complete trust in God made her accept the role of a mother to God the Son.

In the Gospel narrative from St. Luke, we hear about the poor shepherds who were the first witnesses of the birth of the Messiah. They went in haste to Bethlehem after receiving the Good News from the angel. There they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant Jesus laying in a manger, just as the angel told them.

St. Luke mentioned, perhaps on purpose, that "Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." Lk 2:19) Because itt speaks of Mary's humility and complete obedience to God's will.

Thus, Mary is our perfect model of an ideal believer, for she hears the Good News, ponders it in her heart, and then fully responds to it. So that her heart becomes the place of discovering Jesus, and who He truly is. It is in this aspect of Mary's motherhood that is most important as we begin a New Year, another year in which we continue our own journey of the heart towards God.

Mary shows us how to be a christian and disciple of Jesus. She was the joy-filled mother of the new born Jesus; she was the mother of sorrow cradling her lifeless Son in the "Pieta"; and she is the Queen-Mother standing at the right hand of the glorified Lord, which we proclaim in the Fifth Glorious Mystery of the Holy Rosary.

So, therefore, as we begin a new journey in the Year 2016 let us pray to Mary, Mother of God and our Mother too:

"O Blessed Virgin, pray to God for us always, that He may pardon and give us grace; pray to God for us always, that He may grant us peace in this life; pray to God for us always, that He may reward us with paradise at our death. Amen."

A Blessed and Prosperous New Year 2016 to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle C - Year II

27 December 2015: Feast of the Holy Family
(Liturgical color: White)

Gospel: Read  Luke 2:41-52


Celebrating the blessing of family...

Every human being comes to be through the family. Because family is where life begins and love never ends. That is why FAMILY is an acronym for Father And Mother I Love You.

The Church celebrates this Sunday the Feast of the Holy Family. The Lord of lords and King of kings

chooses to be born in a human family, with Mary as His mother and Joseph as protector. The reality of the Holy Family speaks loudly how God regards family life.

What is the message of the Feast of the Holy Family to us today?

We acknowledge that family life is challenging and never easy. This was no different for Mary and Joseph too. They had to work through, with a little divine intervention perhaps, the circumstances of Jesus' conception. And Mary had to give birth to Jesus away from home, in the town of Bethlehem. Soon after the birth of Jesus the Holy Family had to flee to Egypt to avoid King Herod who wanted to kill the infant Jesus. We can learn something from the examples of the Holy Family on their love, concern and respect for each other.

God loves the family. By the incarnation of the Son, God unites Himself with everyone through the family. Mother Teresa wrote: "The family that prays together stays together, because such a family learns something about how God loves each one of us."

It is his human family, fraught with trials and challenges of everyday living that Jesus grew in wisdom, age and grace as He prepares for His saving work. In much the same way God intends to prepare us for the many challenges in life in the environment of a family to make strong through the ups and downs of family through His grace.

In fulfilling our role in caring and sustaining our respective families, it is important for both parents to be close to God, to be prayerful and to have an obedient spirit so that we can hear God speak and follow his plan for the family entrusted to our care and guardianship.

The Gospel narrative from St. Luke is about the Fifth Joyful Mystery of the Holy Rosary, the finding of the child Jesus in the Temple.

The boy Jesus was separated from his parents as they went to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. After three days they found him in the Temple, conversing with the elders.

In his answer to Mary's anxious inquiry, Jesus took the name "father" from Joseph and addressed it to his Father in heaven: "Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house? Thus, Jesus in his youth recognized that he has been given a call by his heaven Father. And he show his trusting faith and confident determination to pursue his heavenly Father's will.

At the end of the Gospel narrative, Jesus went home with his parents to their home in Nazareth and became obedient to them. While Jesus was fully aware of his real mission from the Father, he submitted himself with love and obedience to Joseph and Mary and waited for his time when his call or mission would be fulfilled.

In reflection, our heavenly Father calls each of us to a unique task or mission in life. Sometimes, we may not discover or understand it fully, but if we trust in God, and cooperate with Him, He will use us to His purpose and plan. Because we know and believe that with the call God also gives grace -- grace to say "yes" to His will and grace to persevere through obstacles and trials.

Do we recognize God's will in our life and do we trust in His grace?

Let us pray: Lord, in love you have called each one of us in the family to live for your praise and glory.  May we always find joy in your presence and trust in your grace and in your wisdom and plan for our respective families. And may the Lord Jesus, who has come to be part of the human family, bless all our families. Amen.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle C - Year II:

25 December 2015: Solemnity of the Lord's Birth
(Liturgical color: White)

Gospel: Read  John 1:1-18


The Gift that is Christmas...

It's the big day and we greet everyone a Merry and Blessed Christmas 2015! Thank You, Lord for this very special day!

Let us start our reflection with the lyrics of a popular Christmas carol: "Rejoice, Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel."

For indeed today is the "tamang panahon" (to borrow from a popular kalyeserye, translated "right time"). Because "today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord". (Ps 96)

The event of the birth of our Lord Jesus is the reason for all the preparations during our Advent

pilgrimage, and the nine-day Novena Masses or Misa de Aguinaldo (Simbang Gabi). Today let us rejoice and be glad, for the Messiah is born. We are overwhelmed with joy that lights up our darkness.

By his birth, our Lord teaches us the truth that love seeks to be concrete. Because we cannot love in a general sort of way. Rather, true love expresses itself in concrete ways and toward particular persons.

So God's love for us became flesh in Jesus, even as a child -- someone we can see, hear and touch. By this God sets the standard for all love. That is why, in much the same way, for every new child in a family, the husband and wife give a concrete, specific, living, breathing expression of their love for each other.

The Gospel reading (for Mass during the day) is the prologue of the Gospel of John the Evangelist. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God." (Jn 1:1-2) Thus, in his simple introduction, John actually summarizes for his audience everything that he wanted to convey about our Lord Jesus. John expresses the divinity of Christ: He was there in the beginning, that is to say, the very beginning before anything else has begun; in that time Jesus was with God, and He was God; nothing was made without Him because it was all created through Him; in Him is life for all men.

After talking about Christ's divinity, John proceeds to tell us about Christ's mission on earth. The Word became flesh to make it possible for us to become children of God. Because Jesus is the only way that we can inherit God's kingdom.

Now John the Baptist comes to help people discover and to relish this luminous and consoling presence of the Word of God in our life. The witness of John the Baptist has been very important so much so that many people thought he was the Christ. That is why the "Prologue" clarifies that "John was not the light! He has come to bear witness to the light."

In sum, we reflect on the significance and importance of the Christmas event. The all powerful and might God comes to our world as a "helpless" little infant. And we also believe that every new born child is precious, a gift from God. For God is present in the tiny, vulnerable infant child.

So we return to the manger to reflect that the new born infant Jesus testifies that the prodigal love of the Father in heaven is real, is present has come into our world for the salvation of all men.

As we gather together on this Christmas Day to celebrate the Eucharist around the infant Child of Bethlehem, it my greatest joy to wish my family and friends, and all my readers a "Merry and Blessed Christmas!"

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY LORD JESUS!

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

December 25 is also a holy day of obligation for all Catholics. That means we must all go to Mass like our Sunday obligation.


Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle C - Year II:

25 December 2015: Solemnity of the Lord's Birth
(Liturgical color: White)

Gospel: Read  John 1:1-18


The Gift that is Christmas...

It's the big day and we greet everyone a Merry and Blessed Christmas 2015! Thank You, Lord for this very special day!

Let us start our reflection with the lyrics of a popular Christmas carol: "Rejoice, Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel."

For indeed today is the "tamang panahon" (to borrow from a popular kalyeserye, translated "right time"). Because "today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord". (Ps 96)

The event of the birth of our Lord Jesus is the reason for all the preparations during our Advent

pilgrimage, and the nine-day Novena Masses or Misa de Aguinaldo (Simbang Gabi). Today let us rejoice and be glad, for the Messiah is born. We are overwhelmed with joy that lights up our darkness.

By his birth, our Lord teaches us the truth that love seeks to be concrete. Because we cannot love in a general sort of way. Rather, true love expresses itself in concrete ways and toward particular persons.

So God's love for us became flesh in Jesus, even as a child -- someone we can see, hear and touch. By this God sets the standard for all love. That is why, in much the same way, for every new child in a family, the husband and wife give a concrete, specific, living, breathing expression of their love for each other.

The Gospel reading (for Mass during the day) is the prologue of the Gospel of John the Evangelist. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God." (Jn 1:1-2) Thus, in his simple introduction, John actually summarizes for his audience everything that he wanted to convey about our Lord Jesus. John expresses the divinity of Christ: He was there in the beginning, that is to say, the very beginning before anything else has begun; in that time Jesus was with God, and He was God; nothing was made without Him because it was all created through Him; in Him is life for all men.

After talking about Christ's divinity, John proceeds to tell us about Christ's mission on earth. The Word became flesh to make it possible for us to become children of God. Because Jesus is the only way that we can inherit God's kingdom.

Now John the Baptist comes to help people discover and to relish this luminous and consoling presence of the Word of God in our life. The witness of John the Baptist has been very important so much so that many people thought he was the Christ. That is why the "Prologue" clarifies that "John was not the light! He has come to bear witness to the light."

In sum, we reflect on the significance and importance of the Christmas event. The all powerful and might God comes to our world as a "helpless" little infant. And we also believe that every new born child is precious, a gift from God. For God is present in the tiny, vulnerable infant child.

So we return to the manger to reflect that the new born infant Jesus testifies that the prodigal love of the Father in heaven is real, is present has come into our world for the salvation of all men.

As we gather together on this Christmas Day to celebrate the Eucharist around the infant Child of Bethlehem, it my greatest joy to wish my family and friends, and all my readers a "Merry and Blessed Christmas!"

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY LORD JESUS!

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


Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle C - Year II:

20 December 2015: Fourth Sunday of Advent
(Liturgical color: Pink or Rose)

Gospel: Read  Luke 1:39-45


"Blessed are you among women...."

We now enter the final week of our Advent journey. and our last days of "waiting" for the big event of Christmas day.

Today is the Fourth Sunday of Advent. In all churches and chapels we now light the fourth, and last, candle in the Advent Wreath, the candle of love. It symbolizes love for life and all creation, love for sinners and saints, love for the poor and the little ones, and especially God's love that redeems and shows us the way to His kingdom.

The Gospel from St. Luke narrates the visit of Mary to her cousin, Elizabeth, We meditate on this scene in the second Joyful Mystery of the Holy Rosary.

In the history of salvation, what is the significance of Mary's visit to Elizabeth before the birth of Jesus?

When Elizabeth greeted Mary and recognized the Messiah in Mary's womb, they were filled with the

Holy Spirit and with a joyful anticipation of the fulfillment of God's promise to give humanity a Savior. The elderly Elizabeth, also with child, reports that her child leaps with joy in her womb as the two cousins met. Hence, the unborn child John the Baptist is the first to witness the divinity of the unborn child Jesus, in the temple of Mary's womb.

What a marvelous wonder for God to fill not only Elizabeth's heart with His Holy Spirit but the child in the her womb as well. For John the Baptist, even before the birth of the Messiah, pointed to His coming and leapt for joy in the womb of his mother, as the Holy Spirit revealed to John the presence of the King to be born.

Much in the same way, the Holy Spirit is God's gift to us to enable us to know and experience the indwelling presence of God and the power of His kingdom. In other words, the Holy Spirit is the way in which God reigns within each of us. It is the Holy Spirit that opens our hearts to see and experience the presence of God in our lives.

As we wind up our spiritual preparation for the Lord's coming, let us pray that the grace of our Lord Jesus, the joy of Mary and Elizabeth, and the blessing of the Advent season lead every one of us to respond freely to God with the obedience of faith, even when sometimes we do not understand immediately God's plan for us. Let us pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit to understand in faith what our eyes and mind fail to see. Amen.

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


Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle C - Year II:

13 December 2015: Third Sunday of Advent
(Liturgical color: Pink or Rose)

Gospel: Read  Luke 3:10-18


Feeling the joy...

"Almost there, but not quite".... that's a good way to describe our Advent journey as we cross the Third Sunday of Advent.

The liturgical theme for this Sunday is "rejoicing" because we are mid-way in our Advent pilgrimage and thus so close to the big event that is Christmas day.

On the third week of our Advent walk, the Church celebrates Gaudete Sunday or the Sunday of
Rejoicing. The entrance antiphon in the Mass begins with St. Paul's exhortation: "Rejoice in the Lord always." (Phil 4:4) Indeed the readings for this Sunday tell us there is reason to rejoice as we prepare and await the joyful expectation for the coming of Jesus, our Lord and Messiah.

In the Gospel narrative, we hear again about John the Baptist, preaching his message of repentance. But this time, John goes down to specifics in his message. While the people showed good intentions of listening to him, they must also show firm resolutions to put to action their good intentions.

So the crowds asked John, "What should we do?" (Lk 3:10) He said to them in reply, "Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise!" (Lk 3:11) To the tax collectors, John has this to say, "Stop collecting more than what is prescribed." And to soldiers, John admonished, "Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages." (Lk 3:13, 14)

We celebrate the joy of the coming of our Messiah by also asking ourselves, "What should we do".... in our own time... in our particular situations?

We realize that true joy is not in material possessions; it is not found in seeking one's own interest and pleasure. Rather, our joy is made complete by preparing ourselves, our minds and heart, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ on Christmas day, through repentance of our sins. For a clean heart and a pure mind, is the beginning of our spiritual growth.

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


Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle C - Year II:

6 December 2015: Second Sunday of Advent
(Liturgical color: Violet)

Gospel: Read  Luke 3:1-6


Prepare the way of the Lord...

One of the beautiful and cherished traditions of Filipinos is coming home on Christmas for family reunion. In spite of the infamous incidents of "tanim-bala" in our airports, Filipinos are not to be cowed from coming home to be reunited with their loved ones during this joyous of seasons.

And so less than a month before Christmas, many of our overseas Filipinos must have arranged their homecoming by now, and their loved ones and families are preparing for their homecoming.

Preparing for the great event of Christmas is also the theme of this Sunday's liturgical readings. The forerunner of the Lord, John the Baptist, is introduced to us this second Sunday of Advent.

Who is John the Baptist and what is the significance of his message for our lives today?

John was a prophet, which means a spokesperson for God. He was called from an early age to devote himself to prayer and to the word of God. It is said that God taught him in the solitude of the desert and prepared him for ministry and for spiritual warfare. We can say that John bridged the Old and New Testaments. He is the last of the Old Testament's prophets who point the way to the Messiah. He is also the first of the New Testament's witnesses and martyrs.

It was throughout the whole region of Jordan that John performed his ministry, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He exhorts his hearers to prepare the roads of their hearts and their lives to receive the Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords. People came in large numbers to listen to him and to be bathed in the Jordan river.

What is the significance of John the Baptist's message for our lives today?

Well, we are reminded this Sunday that the time has begun to prepare for the coming of our Lord Jesus and his heavenly kingdom. We prepare ourselves by conversion -- turning heart and mind from sin and rebellion and submission to God's word and will for our lives.

In other words, we, too, are called to make straight the way of the Lord in our own day, in our moment in history, through repentance of our sins.

So let us pray for grace to listen to John's invitation and prepare the way of the Lord by acknowledging our sinfulness and pride that block the Lord's coming in our lives. For repentance of our sins is really coming home to God, especially this Christmas time.

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


Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle C - Year II:

29 November 2015: First Sunday of Advent
(Liturgical color: Violet)

Gospel: Read  Luke 21:25-28, 34-36


A new journey of faith...

In our Catholic faith, we can actually greet each other a "Happy New Year" this Sunday, November 29. Because we begin a new liturgical year in our journey of faith with the Advent season.

Advent is a period of preparation, extending 4 Sundays before Christmas. The word "advent" comes
from the Latin word "advenire". which means "to come"; and it refers to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Church wants us to meditate about Advent in three ways: first, and the most obvious, is the celebration of Christ's birth at Christmas; second, the coming of Christ in our lives through grace and the Sacrament of the Eucharist; and third, the return or second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ at the end of time.

At first impression, the Gospel passage for the First Sunday of Advent seems to be in contrast to the traditional understanding of Advent. Because Advent invites us to meditate upon the coming of the infant Jesus. And yet, the Gospel passage from St. Luke presents the triumphal return of our Lord Jesus in all His glory, power and might.

Well, there is really a common message. When we look beyond the actual events (that is, the first coming of Christ on Christmas day, and His second coming in the end) in either of these scenarios, the powerful and timely counsel being imparted to us is actually one and the same: "Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap." In other words, preparedness for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ should be our proper disposition, whether we meditate upon the event involving His birth on Christmas day, or consider the return of Christ at the end.

That is why at the conclusion of the Gospel reading, our Lord Jesus warns us, "Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent...."

In our practical life, often times we allowed ourselves to be focusing only on material preparation for Christmas, neglecting to prepare ourselves spiritually. While the material and spiritual preparations need not really be mutually exclusive, the spiritual preparation should always take precedence over the former, if we intend to use Advent well.

Here are some suggestions on how to prepare ourselves during this Advent season: first, undertaking voluntary penances for our failures and shortcomings, consonant with the purple liturgical color of Advent; second, dedicating a portion of what one might spend on gifts toward charitable causes as a way of mortifying the secular tendency to over indulge during Christmas season; finally, we should dedicate ourselves to more prayers during this time, for example, meditating upon the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, reading the Gospel  especially the infancy narratives on Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and praying together as a family around the Advent wreath in our homes. These are practical and all-time honored ways of preparing our hearts during the Advent Season to receive our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ on Christmas day.

For in reality, our whole lives should be an ongoing preparation to meet our Savior and the King of kings in our journey of faith, when He returns in glory.

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


Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle B - Year I

22 November 2015: Solemnity of Christ the King
(Liturgical color: White)

Gospel: Read John 18:33b-37


Jesus Christ, our Lord and King....

The Solemnity of Christ the King this Sunday concludes another liturgical season in our journey of

faith. On this day we hail Christ as Lord and King. And this is rightly so, because Jesus is the King of kings, Lord of lords, the Alpha and Omega (the beginning and the end) of all creation. At the end of our journey, we will encounter Him in person to render an account of our own life here on earth.

By what right, we may ask, does Jesus claim these kingly titles? Well, Jesus indeed was born of David's royal line. But as He tells Pontius Pilate, His kingdom is not of this world. Because He did not come as a political leader, ruling his subjects with force. Rather, He came as a Redeemer and Savior, seeking instead to rule his followers with truth and love.

As we reflect on the Gospel reading, it is somewhat ironic that even as we proclaim the glorious image of our heavenly King, the evangelist St. John presents to us the image of a suffering Christ, bloodied and beaten, crowned with thorns, and his hands tied like a criminal.

But that's the central point of the Gospel message for this Sunday. With all the power at His disposal, both in heaven and here on earth, our Christ the King, and Lord of lords, could have commanded the angels and all his followers here on earth to deliver Him from the cross. And yet He truly submits to the Father's will. Such is the humility of our King, who came to serve as the ransom for our souls, accepted death as the wages for our sins.

In rising again, He conquered sin and death, establishing His power and authority. He is hailed as Lord and King because all authority in heaven and earth is His and all things rightly belong to Him. Yet He chooses to lay claim to our obedience, our hearts and minds, with love rather than force.

May our celebration of the Solemnity of Christ the King be an inspiration, a challenge, to those aspiring to be our leaders in the next year election. They should serve with humility, to lead through service.

So let us pray: Jesus Christ, our Lord and King, please hear your people. Amen.

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


Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle B - Year I:

15 November 2015: Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Liturgical color: Green)

Gospel: Please read Mark 13:24-32


The Lord shall return....

Life is a journey, and every journey must come to an end.  That sounds poetic but it is also a reality. For everything that we experience of our present world will end someday. But as to when, nobody knows. That is why the "unknown of the known" makes us tremble; but our faith assures us that the "known of the unknown" gives us hope.

As the Church's liturgical year draws to a close, the focus of the liturgy is on the end story of salvation.  The core message of this Sunday's Gospel is about interrelated events: the end of the world, the second coming of Christ, the gathering of the saved, and the condemnation of the damned.

The evangelist Mark makes use of apocalyptic language to describe these events, like "the sun will be

darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in heaven will be shaken." (Mk 13:24-25)

What is meant by "apocalyptic"? It is a special style of writing which precisely uses wild images and vivid symbols in order to convey realities beyond our present experience. The images described are not necessarily to be taken literally, but still they are relevant as they point to deeper truths.

Let us reflect on these truths that these images teach us.

Our first reflection is to know and believe that the world as we know and experience it will end someday. It will end because God has a bigger purpose for humanity; He has something much greater in His mind for us. So that the blessings of this world are only a prelude or foretaste of the blessings that the Father has planned for us in the life to come. And so also, our sufferings and trials we experience in this world are but temporary.

The second point in our reflection is the reality of the second coming of Jesus Christ. St. Mark says His second coming will be "with great power and glory". At that time there will be no question who is King of kings and Lord of lords. No one will ever wonder about our Lord's identity, for His kingdom will be brought to completion at His second coming.

The third point, peoples of every time and place will be gathered together for the final judgment. Our Lord Jesus will invite the redeemed to share in the very life that He shares with the Father and the Holy Spirit. It will be a great and glorious day for Jesus' faithful followers.

And finally, woe to those who chose until the very last moment of their earthly existence to refuse God's offer of mercy, love and new life; He will take action against evildoers as well.

Yet, our Lord warns that no one really knows the end of times, "neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father". So therefore, we should not be concerned with predicting, and fearing, the future as with living the Faith here and now. Because when we keep the Faith it strengthens us in hope, so that the Day of the Lord's return is actually a welcoming home, a great reunion with our Lord. For we believe that our Lord Jesus Christ shall return.

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


Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle B - Year I:

8 November 2015: Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Liturgical color: Green)

Gospel: Please read Mark 12:38-44


Giving all from the heart....

A man of immense wealth has died. On the day of his funeral, his widow grieved in silence as she witnessed the casket lowered into the pit. A small box was also buried with the casket in the pit.

Curious, the widow's best friend whispered to the widow, "What is that box for?"

The widow replied, "When my husband was still alive, he gave strict instruction to bury all his wealth with him when he died."

The friend commented, "But that's impossible to contain all his wealth in such a small box."

The widow replied, "Yes, you are right. So I deposited all his money in my bank account, and issued him my personal check instead." End of the story.

The following Gospel incident tells us how to deal with earthly riches.

Our Lord Jesus, observing how the crowd put money into the treasury, notices a poor widow as she enters the temple of Jerusalem and makes a meager offering of two small coins. Jesus contrasts her

gift with that of some wealthy people who offer greater sums. To the surprise of all, Jesus proclaims that the widow gave more than the others. And why is that so? Because she gave "all she had, her whole livelihood," according to our Lord.

So Jesus uses this incident to teach his disciples a dramatic lesson in giving with love. Real giving must come from the heart. A gift that is given out of love, with the spirit of generosity and sacrifice, is truly invaluable. Contrast that with the gift that is given just for others to see, or for public display, which loses most of its value. For love is more precious than gold.

God's love looks very much like this. Our Lord defines Christian love as the generous gift of self to others. It begins with the reckless abandonment to God. That means placing all our trust in Him. Of course, it is never easy. Because it actually demands a spiritual leap off a cliff into the strong, loving arms of God. Yet, once we dwell in the embrace of God, then love becomes a self-emptying for the sake of the other.

Sometimes, what we have to offer to the Lord may look very small and not worth much, but if we put all we have at the Lord's disposal, no matter how insignificant it may seem, then God can do with it, and with us, what is beyond our reckoning.

In other words, there is joy and freedom in giving literally to God and to neighbor with gratitude and love. For giving all from the heart is what fulfills the human heart.

Let us pray: Lord, all that I have is Yours. Take my life, my possession, my time and all that I have and all that I am, and use them as You desire, for Your greater glory. Amen.

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


Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle B - Year I:

1 November 2015: Solemnity of All Saints
(Liturgical color: White or Violet)

Gospel: Please read Matthew 5:1-12


Our path to true happiness....

We interrupt our observance of Ordinary Time to celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints, since November 1 falls on a Sunday this 2015.

This day commemorates all the saints --not only those celebrated in the Church's calendar but all the heroic men and women who followed Christ faithfully and who have now attained the beatific vision in heaven.

The Church honors all the saints reigning together for these reasons: to thank God for the graces and crowns of all His saints; to excite ourselves to a fervent imitation of their virtues by considering their holy examples; to implore the divine mercy through this multitude of powerful intercessors; and to glorify God in the saints who are unknown to us, or for whom no particular feast days are appointed.

On All Saints' Day and in other feast days of the saints, God is the only object of our supreme worship, and the whole of that inferior veneration which is paid to the saints is in reality directed to give sovereign honor to God alone. Our addresses to saints are only petitions to holy fellow creatures for the assistance of their prayers to God on our behalf.

Reflection on the Gospel:

The Gospel proclamation on the Sermon on the Mont, or more popularly known as the Beatitudes supports our celebration of All Saints' Day.

The word "beatitude" means literally "happiness", or "blessedness" in the context of our search for God's kingdom. What is the significance of the beatitudes, and why are they so central in the teaching of Jesus?

As we reflect more deeply, we realize that the beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness in every human heart. Because the beatitudes teach us the final end to which God calls us to His kingdom. But the beatitudes also confront us with decisive choices concerning the life we pursue here on earth and the use we make of the goods God puts at our disposal. For in reality, God alone satisfies our longing for happiness, and not material possessions or wealth.

The Beatitudes point the way to God's kingdom. The saints have trodden the path of the beatitudes in
their worldly journey.  We, too, are called to be holy and to be happy by working for the treasures which can afford us welcome into the heavenly home. For when we follow the way of the Beatitudes, our Lord Jesus promises us, at the conclusion of the Gospel reading: "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven".... like all the saints,

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


Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle B - Year I:  

25 October 2015: Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical color: Green)

Gospel: Please read Mark 10:46-52

To see with the eyes of faith....

Do you realize that the first joy, as we wake up in the morning, is to see the light of a new day? For the gift of sight allows us to behold the beauty and greatness of God's creation.

So what would it be if one day everything around us were dark and gloomy, no electricity and no natural light? It would likely be the end of the world for most of us, or all of us. That is why we need to appreciate more the gift of good health and life's many blessings.

The Gospel narrative for this Sunday may be an eye opener for many of God's blessings that perhaps we take for granted because they seem so ordinary and routine already.

A blind and destitute man, by the name of Bartimaeus, sat by the

roadside of Jericho, begging for a living. He heard from the noisy crowd following Jesus that our Lord was passing. Bartimaeus cried out loud begging Jesus to heal his blindness. He was determined to get near Jesus, for he knew who Jesus was and had heard of His fame for healing. It took a lot of "guts" and persistence for Bartimaeus to get the attention of Jesus.

It paid off in the end, as Jesus said to Bartimaeus: "Go your way; your faith has saved you." Immediately, Bartimaeus received his sight and followed our Lord.

This incident reveals something important about how God interacts with us. In the case of Bartimaeus, for example, Jesus was ready to emphatize with his suffering and also to relieve it as well. Jesus commends Bartimaeus for recognizing who He is  with the "eyes of faith" and grants his physical sight as well.

In practical life, when we are sincere and persistent with our prayer requests, the Lord will grant them. For God always answers our prayers, not always in the way and timing we petition Him, but in God's proper time and according to what is best for us. 

The other point in our reflection is the healing of Bartimaeus' blindness itself. We ask ourselves, what is really worse, physical blindness, or moral and spiritual blindness? There is moral and spiritual blindness when sin clouds the mind in darkness and closes our heart to God's love and truth; for example, when we deliberately choose to disobey God's laws over material wealth and pleasure.

The Good News is that our Lord Jesus is ready to heal us and free us from the darkness of sin and deception by the evil one through repentance. For only in the light of God's truth can we see sin for what it really is, a rejection of God and opposition to His will.

In sum, do we recognize our need for God's healing grace? Do we seek out our Lord Jesus Christ, like Bartimaeus, with persistent faith  and trust in His goodness and mercy?

This Sunday is also Prison Awareness Sunday. Let us include in our prayers all prisoners that they go back to the right path, and support the Church's prison apostolate.

In the Eucharist at Mass, let us pray: Lord, may I always be aware of my need for Your healing grace, Help me to take advantage of the opportunities You give me to seek Your presence daily and listen attentively to Your healing word. Amen.

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

Ad Jesum per Mariam!