12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

“Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” (Mk 4:35-41)


Storms come and visit us now and again. They are an inescapable part of ourr lives. They may be relational or financial in nature. They may take the form of health problems. They may mean the death of a loved one. In the midst of these trials, Jesus stands by us.

More often than not, Jesus does not take away these problems. Why? Because problems and trials are opportunities for growth. Therefore, what he does is to give us the confidence to face these problems and overcome them. In doing so, Jesus brings us out of our comfort zones. He "stretches" us. And we grow.

There is a lesson for parents to be found here.

Sometimes parents shield their children from the vicissitudes of life. They are surely motivated by love. But this is misguided. For by shielding their children from whatever life may hurl at them, parents rob their children the opportunities to learn how to deal with them.

For what are parents supposed to do? Is it not to prepare their children to stand on their own one day?

That is why someone compared parenting to flying a kite. You keep the kite under your control by holding onto the string. Little by little allow the kite to go higher and farther. But at one point, you let go. You have done your part. Your children can now go on their own. And if there is anything anyone can be proud of, it is this.

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

"Take it; this is my body.This is my blood of the covenant."
(Mk 14:12-16, 22-26)

Introduction

The solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. Corpus Christi = Body of Christ. This solemnity is about the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
The solemnity of Corpus Christi was first celebrated in Belgium. Pope Urban IV extended the celebration to the universal Church, that is, through the Catholic world.
What prompted him to do that? It was a miracle that happened in Turin. A priest who was doubting that the Eucharist is indeed Jesus himself celebrated Mass. At the consecration when he raised the consecrated host, drops of blood fell from it.

Real Presence

When the any of the sacraments is celebrated, It is Jesus Christ who celebrates the sacraments. For example, when a child is baptized, it is Christ who baptizes. The priest is his instrument. Thus, Jesus Christ is really present in the celebration of Baptism.

When Eucharist is celebrated, it is Jesus who celebrates the Mass. The priest is his instrument. Thus, Jesus Christ is really present in the celebration of the Eucharist.

But what makes the Mass unique and special is that the bread and wine be-comes Jesus Christ himself. Whereas when Baptism is celebrated, the water remains water. It does not become Jesus Christ.

The term Real Presence is used to express our faith in the transformation of bread and wine into Jesus Christ himself.

Implications

1. During the time of Don Bosco, children received first communion when they are older. First Holy Communion at 7 years old was exceptional. Also, it was com-mon practice for Catholics to receive communion once in a while.

Don Bosco went against these two prevailing practices. He wanted children to receive communion as soon as they can distinguish between ordinary bread and the sacred host. Why? Because he wanted Jesus to be the first to take possession of the heart of a child.

He also encouraged the students at the Oratory to receive communion often. Why? Because communion is the Bread that makes us strong. He believed that fre-quent communion makes a Christian strong against temptation.

2. I was told that many many years ago, people went to confession often and communion only once in a while. Today people go to communion often and to con-fession at least once in their life time. We have lost the sense of sin. We must bear in mind that we can not receive communion if we committed a mortal sin. We must first go to confession.

3. When the sanctuary lamp is lighted, it means that the tabernacle contains the consecrated hosts. Therefore, we have to make the genuflection or at least a bow to show our respect to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

4. These are some of the devotions related to the Blessed Sacrament: Benedic-tion, visit to the Blessed Sacrament and adoration at the Adoration Chapel. About the Visit to the Blessed Sacrament, Don Bosco says: Do you want many graces, visit Jesus often. Do you want few graces, visit him less.

Conclusion

The solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ highlights our faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. When we receive him in holy communion let our Amen express the firmness of our faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the commun-ion we receive. And when we leave the church let us make the genuflection or at least a bow in the direction of the tabernacle. Let it be an act of adoration for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Trinity Sunday (B)

One God in Three Divine Persons

Introduction

I remember sometime in 1980 a Protestant layman spoke to our students about drugs. He played the trumpet to get the attention of our students.

He took his lunch with us. After the meal, we said a thanksgiving prayer (We give you thanks…). What made a deep impression on us was that he made the sign of the cross (Protestants don’t make the sign of the cross) and he did it devoutly (while we did it hurriedly).

When we make the sign of the cross, we profess our faith in the Holy Trinity and we also identify ourselves as Catholics.

The Trinity

Belief in the Trinity means that we believe that there is one God in Three Divine Persons. We believe that the Father is God. We believe that Jesus is God. We be-lieve that the Holy Spirit is God. But there is only one God and not three gods.

Belief in the Trinity means that we believe that the Three Divine Persons are different from one another and equal to each other.

The Three Divine Persons are different from one another means that the Father is not the Son and is not the Holy Spirit; that the Son is not the Father and is not the Holy Spirit; and that the Holy Spirit is not the Father and is not the Son.

The Three Divine Persons are equal to each other mean that no one is greater than the other; that no one is “more God” than the other.

The Mystery

The Holy Trinity is a mystery of faith. Mystery of faith means that we believe in it only because it was revealed by Jesus to us. We read in the Gospel of Matthew: “Then Jesus approached and said to them, ‘All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit” (Mt 28:18-19).

Mystery of faith means that no matter how much we try we can not understand nor explain it completely.

What we often do is to use an analogy in order to shed some light on the mys-tery. For example, St. Patrick used the leaf of the shamrock to explain the Trinity. You may use the maple leaf of the Canadian flag. Or if you play cards, you can use the clover. Someone used the electric fan to explain the Trinity. There are three blades but when it is running you only see one blade.

The Dogma

The Holy Trinity is a dogma of faith. Dogma means that it has been officially proclaimed as something which is true and therefore, you have to believe if you are to be called a Christian.
The Holy Trinity as a dogma of faith does not mean that Christians did not be-lieve in the Holy Trinity before the official proclamation.

Then why do you have to make an official proclamation? It was because at some point, some people began teaching things which contradicted the belief in the Holy Trinity. The result was confusion (Ano nga ba talaga?). And so the Church had to step in and make an official proclamation.

Conclusion

If you go to the Church of St. Cecilia in Rome, go the main altar. There you will find a marble statue of St. Cecilia made by a Carlo Maderna. St. Cecilia is depicted as lying prostrate with a wound in her neck. The executioner did not succeed in completely cutting off her head. But look at her hands. Her right hand has the fore-finger extended while the left hand has the forefinger, the middle finger and the ring finger extended. What does that mean? At her death she was proclaiming her faith in the one God in Three Divine Persons. She was proclaiming her faith in the Trinity.

Pentecost (B)

Then There Appeared to Them Tongues as of Fire (Acts 2:1-11)

Last Sunday we celebrated the Ascension, although it is traditionally celebrated on a Thursday. If you count the days, the Ascension takes place 40 days after Resurrection.

Today is the Pentecost and it is celebrated 10 days after Ascension or 50 days after the Resurrection. Why is the feast today called Pentecost? Because Pentecost is derived from the Greek word for “50 “.

If we recall the Ascension of Christ into heaven on the solemnity of the Ascension Day, what do we recall on the solemnity of Pentecost? The coming down of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. And that event was read in the first reading.

But if you listened to the Gospel, you will be surprised to learn that the Holy Spirit had already come to the Apostles 50 days before, that is, on the evening of the Resurrection.

In other words, the Holy Spirit came down twice. The first was the coming on the evening of Easter. It was a private event. The second was the coming 50 days later. This time it was a public event.

Private Pentecost

The Holy Spirit was given to the Apostles in connection with the power to for-give sins. This means that it is the Holy Spirit who makes confession effective in forgiving sins. And since it is He who makes confession effective, confessing even to a priest in mortal sin can bring about the forgiveness of your sins.

Public Pentecost

The obvious effect of the coming down of the Holy Spirit was speaking in tongues. People from different countries heard the Apostles preaching in their own language.
In the early church and in the charismatic renewal, there is the phenomenon called glossolalia, which is the Greek for speaking in tongues.

A long time ago I had the experience of being baptized in the Holy Spirit with other SDBs. That was how it was called in those days. One of us suddenly started speaking in a strange language. Nagtayuan ang mga balahibo ko sa braso.

Another effect of Pentecost was to transform the apostles from cowards to brave men. Remember they were hiding in the upper room for fear of the Jews. Now they did not only go out but they also dared to preach about Jesus Christ risen from the dead.
Pentecost day when the apostles left the upper room in order to publicly preach about Jesus Christ has been considered the day the Church was born in the world. In other words, on Pentecost Day we also celebrate the birthday of the Church.

LESSON

A prayer goes like this: Send forth your Spirit and You shall renew the face of the earth. What does renew mean?

Some Catholics join the charismatic renewal and call themselves renewed Catholics. What does renewal and renewed mean? I think this is what they mean. Before their faith was weak or asleep. But now their faith is alive and energized. There is commitment and enthusiasm.

I have a classmate who has been working in Tondo for the past 12 years. He is tired and he feels drained. Now that his term as Rector is over he has requested to participate in renewal programs. What does renewal mean? I think he feels as if he is a discharged battery. He wants to be recharged again. He wants to be energized so that he can again work tirelessly for God.

The Holy Spirit renews the face of the earth. He can transform people. He can change lives. If you feel you need renewal, invite the Holy Spirit into your life. Ask him. Pray to him.