FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.

Lk 4:21-30

They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?”

The initial reaction of the people at hearing Jesus was amazement and praise. But this observation marked the change from acceptance of Jesus to rejection of Jesus. In other words, his “kababayan” realized that Jesus and his father were merely carpenters. How can Jesus pretend to be superior to them.

Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.

Nazareth was the native place of Jesus. Capernaum was the headquarters of the public ministry of Jesus.

They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.

The rejection of Jesus by his own people at Nazareth was a preview of the rejection of his own people, the Jewish people. They were not able to kill Jesus at Nazareth. But in Jerusalem they will succeed.

But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.

We do not know if the escape from death was miraculous. But it was important because for St. Luke, Jesus could not possibly die anywhere but in Jerusalem.

These words may appear comforting because Jesus managed to escape certain death. But these become frightening words if we see ourselves among the people from whom Jesus escaped. For it means that we are among those people who rejected Jesus. Rejection does not necessarily mean: “I don’t believe in you anymore.” Rejection can take subtle forms, such as failing to pay attention to him or forgetting him or living day by day as if he doesn’t exist.

THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.

Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21

GOSPEL EXPLANATION

The Gospel

St. Luke wrote his gospel for Theophilus (which means beloved of God) so that he may be convinced of the certainty of the teachings he has received. Others before him have the done the same, that is, to write a narrative of the events surrounding Jesus of Nazareth.

...just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us....

The Latin for handed down is "tradere" from which the English word "tradition" comes from. St. Luke asserts that the content of his gospel comes from tradition.

(He) went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day.

The Sabbath or Saturday is the Lord's Day for the Jews. They would go to the synagogue for a religious service. There would be reading from the Law or the Prophets and followed by a homily. Any Hebrew adult male can be called to do this service, but the leaders of the synagogue generally gave this task to an expert in Scriptures.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me....

This literarily took place at his baptism when the Holy Spirit appeared in bodily form similar to that of a dove.

...Because he has anointed me....

The anointing with oil happens at the consecration of a king, of a priest and of a prophet.

Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.

With the coming of Jesus the era of grace, announced by the prophets has begun.

STO. NINO

IMAGE

The image of the Santo Niño is the oldest religious image in the Philippines. The wooden image, made by Flemish artisans, was brought to the island by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, just like the Magellan cross. Magellan gave the image of the Santo Niño to Queen Juana as a baptismal gift.

Forty-four years later, in 1565, Cebu was for a big part destroyed by a fire. The fire was set on purpose by the Spaniards as a punishment for hostile activities of the Cebuanos. In one of the burned houses, a Spanish soldier found the image of Santo Niño. Remarkably unscathed! Since then, the miraculous image has been treated by the Cebuanos as its patron.

At present, the miraculous image is kept in the Parish convent, and only a replica, adorned with gold and precious stones and enshrined in glass, is hold inside the Basilica Minor del Santo.

CHURCH

The church was built near the place where the Santo Niño was found in the burned house. On this place the Spaniards built a church three times.

The first two times the church was built out of wood and nipa. Every time it was burned down. The construction of the present church dates from 1735.

In 1965 the church was given the title of "Basilica Minor del Santo Niño".

SINULOG

The Sinulog festival is one of the grandest, most distinguished and most colorful festivals in the Philippines. The major festival is held each year on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City to honor the Santo Niño, or the child Jesus. It is fundamentally a dance ritual which recalls the Filipino people's pagan past and their embrace of Christianity.

INFANT JESUS OF PRAGUE

Infant Jesus of Prague is a famous statue of the infant Jesus located in the Church of Our Lady of Victory in Malá Strana, Prague.

Its earliest history can be traced back to the year 1628 when a small, 48 centimeters in height, exquisite statue of wax Infant Jesus was brought into Bohemia by Polyxena von Lobkowitz. This princess had been given the statue as a wedding gift by her mother, Maria Manriquez de Lara of Spain, and the statue was given to the Discalced Carmelites in Prague. The statue was set upon the oratory of the monastery of Our Lady of Victory, Prague.

The center of devotion to the Infant Jesus of Prague is at the Benedictine church of San Beda in Mendiola.

in process

BAPTISM OF THE LORD

You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.

Lk 3:15-16, 21-22

GOSPEL EXPLANATION

I am baptizing you with water...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire. Hence, at Pentecost the Holy Spirit came as tongues of fire.

The baptism of John is not our Sacrament of Baptism. It does not confer the Holy Spirit. It does not cleanse from sin. It does not make us children of God.

The Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove.

The Holy Spirit became visible like the form of a dove, NOT in the bodily form of a dove. It’s like describing a bat. It looks like a flying mouse, but it is certainly not a mouse.

You are my beloved Son. With you I am well-pleased.

The mention of beloved son recalls Isaac. He was the beloved son of Abraham. God asked Abraham to offer his son Isaac on Mt. Moriah as a sacrifice. He was about to do that when an angel of the Lord stopped him. In the same way Jesus himself in sacrifice on Mt. Calvary.

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS

The Baptism of Jesus is the occasion for the Father to reveal Jesus as the Messiah. This is the second epiphany. Epiphany means manifestation of God. The first epiphany was the adoration of the Magi. There is a also a third, the miracle at Cana.

The Baptism of the Lord is not only the occasion of an epiphany. It also marks the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus among the people of Israel.

OUR BAPTISM

I shall explain some of the elements in the Rite of the Sacrament of Baptism: parents, ninong and ninang (godparents), water, formula of baptism, oil, white garment and candle.

Parents

In some places the parents are not present at baptism. The mother is busy preparing the food for the baptismal party while the father is on a drinking spree with his friends.But parents should be present because the child is going to be baptized in the faith of the parents and it will be their duty to raise the child as a good Catholic by word and example.

Ninong and Ninang (Godparents)

There should at least be one ninong or ninang who is chosen specifically to help the parents in raising the child to be a good Catholic. This ninong or ninang should therefore be a good Catholic and is willing to take this responsibility.

We should also understand the importance of the gift-giving role of godparents. Gifts make the child happy. Birthdays and Christmas become joyful occasions. A happy childhood is important for the healthy emotional growth of children.

Water

Water cleanses. We use it to wash dishes and clothes. We use it for bathing. The water of Baptism cleanses us of sin, both original sin and personal sin.

Water is necessary to sustain life. The human body is 60% water. The water of Baptism brings life. Those who are baptized are re-born as sons and daughters of God. They are not just given the label of God’s children. They really become his children.

I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

When a mother declares, “My Jeremy takes his studies seriously”, she declares Jeremy as her own. Being baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity means that God declares that we belong to him. God recognizes us as his own.

Oil of Catechumens

In the Old Testament oil was used to anoint kings, prophets and priests. The newly baptized is anointed with oil because he shares in the three-fold office of Jesus Christ, that of king, prophet and priest.

This priesthood is called baptismal priesthood to differentiate it from the minis-terial priesthood of those who are ordained. The ministerial priesthood gives to the ordained minister the power to celebrate the Mass. The baptismal priesthood gives to the baptized the right to participate in the Mass.

White garment

It signifies the new life of a child of God received in baptism as well as the cleansing from original sin and personal sin. It was said that when Constantine the Great was baptized toward the end of his life, he took great pride in wearing the white garment instead of his kingly robes.

Lighted candle 

It signifies the faith that in the future the child should live for all to see clearly. It also represents the light of Christ. The child no longer lives in the shadow of sin but in holiness.

CONCLUSION

Try this exercise at home.

While sitting at your desk, make clockwise circles with your right foot. While doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction.

In the same way as baptized Christians the life we lead must follow the faith we profess with our lips.

EPIPHANY

“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.”

Mt 2:1-12

GOSPEL EXPLANATION

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod...

This was Herod the Great. He had the right to be called "the Great" because he was the king who was able to bring some form of peace and order in Palestine. He was the builder of the Temple in Jerusalem. He could be compassionate. During the famine of 25BC, he melted his golden plate in order to buy corn for the starving people. But he could be cruel. He had 3 of his sons assassinated on suspicion that they were after his crown. Thus, we are not at all surprised that he was capable of the massacre of the Holy Innocents.

Behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem....

 The term "magi" has many meanings. The Persian priests were called "magi". Magicians were also called "magi". In this particular context the magi were probably astrologers. The mention of magi from the East in Matthew's infancy narrative was probably meant to contrast the unbelief and rejection of Jesus by the religious and political leaders of the people (Herod, the chief priests and the scribes) on the one hand, and the acceptance pagans in the person of the magi who adored the child of Bethlehem.

Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising.

 Matthew had in mind the Old Testament story of Balaam, who had prophesied that "A star shall advance from Jacob" (Numbers 24:17).

Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Incense and myrrh were the traditional riches and perfumes of Arabia. According to Isaiah(60:6)the Messiah would receive gifts from foreign nations,"Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; All from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the Lord."