Cycle C - Year I:

28 July 2019: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading: Genesis 18:20-32

Second Reading: Colossians 2:12-14

Gospel: Please Read Luke 11:1-13

God's true face...our Father!

Overheard two young boys in animated conversation. One asks the other, "Are you related to anyone famous?"

The other boy replies, "I don't want to brag, but I heard Daddy calling God his Father!"

The Gospel this Sunday relates to the above conversation. Because God's true face is revealed to us. For He is Creator and Savior, and above all God is Father! Our Lord Jesus Himself wants us to call God as our Father.

On the Gospel narrative, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. In response, Jesus gives them the prayer of the "Our Father".

Now we know that the "Our Father" is such a beautiful prayer that comes from our Lord Jesus Himself. It has all the essential elements of a prayer as we are taught, such as "adoration of God" (in the words "Hallowed be Thy name"), "contrition or repentance for the sins committed" (found in "Forgive us our trespasses"), and then "supplication", when we request God to give us the food we need to sustain our body (when we say "Give us this day our daily bread"). Thus, it is a complete and essential prayer.

And it is with confidence and boldness that we can approach God as our Father because our Lord Jesus Christ has opened the way to heaven for us through His death and resurrection.

So in the words of the "Our Father", Jesus teaches us to call God our Father and a true Friend. And Jesus explains what "fatherhood" means. It means having the best interest of his children in mind and knowing how to meet them. God as a "friend" means we can approach Him with any need we have at any time.

And when we ask God for help He fortunately does not give us what we truly deserve, sinners that we are, but instead God responds with grace and mercy. God is truly our Father!

That is why we can pray with expectant faith because our heavenly Father loves us and treat us as His children. He is the Father who so loves the world that He sends us His only Son Jesus Christ. And He has freely pour out the blessing of His Holy Spirit upon us that we may be filled with the abundance of His provision.

So now in practical life, we can pray in one of two ways: as a trusting child or a persistent friend. And either way believe that God to Whom we are speaking will listen we continue speaking with Him and believe that God has our best interest in mind always. Remember that God answers all our prayers, not the way we want sometimes, but always what is best for us. When we pray, do we approach our heavenly Father with confidence in His mercy and kindness towards us?

Today is also Fil-Mission Sunday. Let us include in our prayer and Mass intention all Filipino priest-missionaries of the Mission Society of the Philippines (MSP), especially because of greater dangers and persecutions faced by Christians around the world.

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

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle C - Year I:

21 July 2019: Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading: Genesis 18:1-10a

Second Reading: Colossians 1:24-28

Gospel: Please Read Luke 10:38-42

Have we chosen the better part?

It's a new day, thank You Lord! How do we start a typical day? As we wake up do we rush to get things done for the day? Or, do we pause a moment to first plan and organize our activities? Do we have the habit of beginning our day in prayer, to thank the Lord for the gift of another day?

The Gospel this Sunday narrates an incident in our Lord's public life that provides valuable lessons on how we can witness and live our faith in daily life.

Jesus is in Bethany visiting with friends. He loves to visit the home of sisters Martha and Mary and enjoys their warm hospitality. The sisters welcome Him in their house. Now while Martha is bustling about the house and trying to provide hospitality to their special Guest, Mary is sitting at Jesus' feet listening to His teachings. So naturally Martha complains, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." (Lk 10:40)

But our Lord said to Martha in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chose the better part and it will not be taken away from her." (Lk 10:41-42) Now, notice that Jesus didn't tell her it was the best part. He said it was the "better part".

In our Christian living, we might easily identify with Martha with our very busy lives. We, too, welcome Jesus in our hearts. But soon after we are distracted by a great many things. Because there is just too much that needs to be done, in work and in our family with its many demands. And so it seems difficult to find time for good, solid meditative prayer. That is why perhaps we do not hear the quiet whispering of God in nature, in silence, in another person, in His Word, in the depths of our hearts, and so do not receive the only nourishment we need. And yet, "One thing is only needed", Christ tells us, and it is Him in our heart.

Now while "service" is an important part of discipleship, Jesus teaches us to set our priorities right. The "better part" chosen by Mary in the Gospel narrative is Jesus Himself.

Thus, listening to the word of God is an important thing in our lives. Because what the Lord wants of us, first of all, is to be close to Him, put our trust in Him amidst our daily concerns. And time spent in prayer is always important. When it comes to our spiritual life, prayers and meditation are critical. We hold up to the Lord our daily activities and scrutinize them in the light of His teaching, in order for us to see what needs to be strengthened or discarded. In this way we are able to see what is leading us closer to Jesus, or taking us away from Him.

God speaks to us constantly. But then we have to leave our worries and distractions behind, and sit quietly at His feet to listen to our Lord Jesus. Only then will we receive the "better part" and the promise that it will not be taken from us. Only then will we produce "fruits" with patient endurance.

Anxiety and preoccupation keep us from listening and from giving our Lord our undivided attention. The Lord bids us to give Him our concerns and anxieties because He is trustworthy and able to meet any need we have. His grace frees us from needless concerns and preoccupation.

So now, do we seek the Lord attentively in our lives? And does the Lord find a welcomed and honored place in our house? Do we always take time daily even for a brief moment to pray and listen to our Lord Jesus Christ?

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

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle C - Year I:

7 July 2019: Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 66:10-14c

Second Reading: Galatians 6:14-18

Gospel: Please Read Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

Sharing in the Lord's saving work!

Do we always need a leader? Or is it possible that people maybe drawn together to action with a shared vision? Remember the People Power phenomenon? It is said that no single personality can really claim credit for that historical event. Because it was an spontaneous reaction of our people fed up with martial rule.

In the realm of religion, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has spoken of the "church, the people of God throughout the world, united in faith and love and empowered by the Spirit to bear witness to the risen Christ to the ends of the earth."

Thus, the Church teaches that we are all leaders and share in the saving mission of Christ and the Church. So in other words, the task of preaching the Gospel is not confined to the twelve apostles but a mission given to all of Jesus' disciples even to our generation.

This leads us to the Gospel narrative for this Sunday. Thus far, from the day they were recruited the twelve Apostles have been following our Lord from place to place, witnessing the miracles He performed and listening and learning from His preaching. But they were just followers, and not yet missionaries themselves.

Jesus will now give them the "hands-on training to prepare them for missionary work. So Jesus tells them to go out on their own and work their own miracles in His name. And like Jesus, they are to give up their families and lead itinerant lifestyle, traveling from place to place to preach and share the Good News of the kingdom of God and work wonders in Jesus' name. The Apostles were given both the power and authority to speak and act in Jesus' name by the Lord Himself.

What is the impact of the Gospel reading for us today? The following points for personal reflection may be useful.

The mission of the twelve Apostles is carried on today by their successors: the bishops and all ordained ministers, religious men and women, and even lay people like us. Because by virtue of our baptism, we lay people also sent to bear witness to Christ in word and deed.

In doing our own missionary work as lay people, and also for ordained ministers, let us heed and reflect on the advice and instructions of our Lord Jesus Himself to the first Apostles.

First, Jesus tells the Apostles to "travel light", meaning with little or no provision at all. Because "poverty of spirit" frees us from greed and preoccupation with material possessions and thus makes ample room for God's provision instead. In other words, we must trust and depend on God rather than on ourselves in doing His mission.

Second, the Lord gives us the power and authority to work wonders in His name. But also He wants us to use this power and authority with love and humility, and always for the good of others. Remember always that it is the Lord we preach, and not ourselves.

And finally, although not the last, Jesus entrusts us with His gifts and talents to continue His saving work in our times. Are we ready and eager to place ourselves at God's service, to do whatever He tells us to do, to witness His truth and saving power to whomever our Lord Jesus Christ sends us?

In the Eucharist at Mass, let us pray: Lord, make me a channel of your grace and healing love that others may find life and freedom in You. Free me from all attachments that I may pursue the things of heaven without distraction. May I truly witness the joy of the Gospel, both in my word and in my deed. Amen.

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

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Cycle C - Year I:  

14 July 2019: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading:        Deuteronomy 30:10-14

Second Reading:   Colossians 1:15-20

Gospel:  Please Read  Luke 10:25-37

To gain our heavenly inheritance!

How does one attain a comfortable life?  There are many ways.  Foremost perhaps it to get adequate education to have a good-paying job later on.  Or try a "short-cut", by winning a lottery perhaps. And luckier still if you unexpectedly receive an inheritance.

The last possible option connects us to the Gospel narrative this Sunday.

A scholar of the law stood up to test Jesus and asked:  "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Lk 10:25)

Let us say the guy was quite smart. For he wanted to gain, not worldly inheritance that disappears, but an everlasting one in the next life. But the Gospel said he just wanted to test or trick our Lord.

Now, Jesus was smarter and did not give him a direct answer to his question. And further exchanges between our Lord and the law scholar on how to inherit everlasting life touched on two great commandments, which is love for God and love for neighbor.  Like any other legal experts, even in our time, the lawyer wanted to spar with Jesus over  the legal text of the Jewish law, and so he asked our Lord the clenching question, "And who is my neighbor?" 

Jesus responded by narrating the well-known Parable of the Good Samaritan.  Let us examine briefly the implication of this parable at that time.  In the social context of that time, Jesus tells this parable to shock and challenge His listeners.  Because recall that Jews were hostile to the Samaritans, who were considered social outcasts.  Thus, by the choice of such protagonists, Jesus intentionally scandalizes the lawyer to shock this complacent and self-serving man into genuine understanding of love for one's neighbor.

Ultimately, our Lord also addresses this Parable of the Good Samaritan to everyone in our own time, especially those who want to test God and justify themselves.  We can, therefore, learn important lessons from this particular parable.

First, the use of Samaritan (whom we said earlier was considered the outcast of society in Jesus' time) as depicting him as a good neighbor is to show that we ought not to set limits to our charity.  It must extend even to our "enemies" who need our help.  Because Christian charity knows no bounds.

Second, the Parable presents the Samaritan as the exemplar of love for neighbor to show that God's grace also extends to all, that is to say, beyond the "saintly and the holy", enabling even Samaritans (or the "less-Godly") to love others as God commands.

Finally, but not last, Parable teaches us that to be a neighbor is to be more sensitive to human life, both the joy and the pain of people.  Because being a neighbor is not based on personal relationship, race or religion.  We should worry less about our own perception, or definition, of who is a neighbor, but more about being a neighbor to all, especially those who desperately need our help and mercy.

Thus, the Parable of the Good Samaritan provides an inspiring standard of love for neighbor.  And Jesus told this Parable to show how wide God's love and mercy towards all.  In recent time, Saint Mother Theresa is our role model of a good neighbor as she cared for the abandoned and the dying in the streets of India.

And so the search for eternal life is a quest that we ourselves seek out today in our generation.  What must we do in order to be saved?  The Good Samaritan story teaches us to go out of our way to help someone in need.  Because to be a real neighbor is to be more human by practicing love that is generous, sacrificial, extending even to our "enemies".  For it is in being a neighbor that we are also able to be living witnesses of our faith through concrete action of charity and mercy, and not just through self-serving devotion.

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

Ad Jesum per Mariam!