First Sunday of Advent

BE WATCHFUL! BE ALERT! (Mk 13:33-37)

Happy New Year!

Yes, it's only November 27. And yes, it's also new year. The First Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of the Liturgical Year in the Catholic Church.

Liturgical Year
The two high points of the Liturgical Year is Christmas (Birth of the Redeemer) and Easter (Resurrection of the Savior). They are so important that the are preceded by a period of preparation and followed by a period of continuing celebration.

Christmas is preceded by Advent and followed by the Christmas season. Easter is preceded by Lent and followed by the Easter Season..

Violet
The color for Advent and Lent is violet. However, the spirit of lent is penitential while that of Advent is joyful.

Gloria
During Advent and Lent, the Gloria (Glory to God in the Highest) is neither sung nor recited. The Gloria is reserved for Christmas when the angels sang it for the first time. However, in the Philippines it is sung during the Simbang Gabi and the Misa de Gallo.

Meaning
Advent means coming. From the first Sunday of Advent till Dec. 16, we are reminded of the Parousia (the second coming of Jesus at the end of time). From Dec. 17 onwards, the focus is the first coming of Jesus when he was born in Bethlehem.

The Advent Wreath
The liturgical symbol for advent is the advent wreath. It serves to focus our attention on the preparation for Christmas.

The wreath (circle) reminds us of eternity. No beginning. No end. God is eternal. His love for us is eternal. Someday we shall join God in eternity.

Green is the color of life. God wants life for us and not death. That is why he sent is only Son that those who believe in him may not perish but have everlasting life.

Candles. Christ is the light of the world. There are four candles representing the four Sundays of Advent. Three candles are violet. One candle is pink which stands for the Laetare Sunday, or Sunday of Joy (third Sunday of Advent).

THIS YEAR WILL CHRISTMAS BE A SEASON OF JOY?

Many are saying that Christmas this year will be sad because of the economic difficulties. (I have heard this for many years now.) But they say this year it will really be gloomy. In fact, the Christmas decorations are so sparse.

When they say that it will be a gloomy Christmas, what they mean is that we shall not be able to buy more Christmas decorations. There will less food at noche buena. No new clothes. Cheap gifts.

But Christmas is not about food. It is not about clothes nor decorations nor gifts.

Christmas is about Christ.

For this reason, there is no reason for this season not to be a joyful one. And precisely because of this, I prefer the greeting "Happy Christmas" to "Merry Christmas".

Christ the King

CHRIST THE KING (Mt 25:31-46)

EXEGESIS

The scene is the Last Judgment at the end of the world. Jesus appears as a glorious King.

In the Jewish judgment stories, gentiles seldom appear. And when they do, it is to be punished. But in this case, gentiles like Jews are to be judged fairly.

In Palestine, goats and sheep are mixed. But at night they are separated because goats need to be kept warn.

Sheep are often used to symbolize christians.

Those who are on the right are welcomed into the kingdom because of works of fraternal charity ( corporal works of mercy).

The ones on the left are condemned--not for any evil they did, but for the good that they did not do. We sin not only when we do wrong, but when we also fail to do good.

REFLECTION

God sees you. St. John Bosco used to put these words on poster for his boys to see. Why? To keep them from sinning.

We can never hide from God. We can never keep secrets from God. Criminals may get away with it. Crimes may remain unpunished. But with God those who deserve punishment will be punished.

But as God sses us when we do wrong in thought, word or deed, so also God sees us when we do right in thought, word or deed. And these will not go unrewarded.

Sometimes we are misinterpreted or judged unfairly. It is because people can not read into our thoughts. But God can. He will see the good intentions and the good will in our hears. Therefore, God will judge us mercifully.

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS (Mt 25:14-30)

EXEGESIS

A man going on a journey....
The ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven.

...called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one....
Talent may be: (a) a measure of weight, (b) a coin worth 30 kg of precious metal, (c) 6,000 denarii, and (d) in this case, abilities given by God to each one of us.

After a long timethe master of those servants came back ....
Delay in the second coming of Jesus (pariousia)

...and settled accounts with them.
Last judgment

See, I have made five more.
Did he make converts for the church?

Come, share your master's joy.
The reward is an intimate association with the Lord. This is reserved for those who have used their talents for the Kingdom.

...so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.
This was a common practice in Palestine. Cf the Parable of the Buried Treasure

And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Hell is for those who have not used their talents for the kingdom.

REFLECTION

What are the talents or gifts do I have which I can offer at the service of the Kingdom? (I use Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences as framework.)

• Am I good with words (Linguistic intelligence or"word smart")?
• Am I good with numbers and with reasonning (Logical-mathematical intelligence or "number/reasoning smart")?
• Am I good in the creative use of space (Spatial intelligence or "picture smart")?
• Am I good in the use of my body (Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence or "body smart")?
• Am I good in music (Musical intelligence or "music smart")?
• Am I good at relating with others (Interpersonal intelligence or "people smart")?
• Am I good at getting in touch with my inner self (Intrapersonal intelligence or "self smart")?
• Do I flourish in the midst of nature (Naturalist intelligence or "nature smart")?

All of us have these intelligences. Although we may not possess any of them at the level of a genius, Howard Gardner affirms that with effort and with the guidance of a good teacher, we can develop them to a satisfactory level.

Consequently, no one can truthfully say that he is good for nothing and that he has nothing to offer for the kingdom and for his fellowmen.

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Parable of the Ten Virgins (Mt 25:1-13)

Wedding custom
Friends will meet the bridegroom at his house. They then fetch the bride. They return to the bridegroom's house where the wedding will take place. The wedding took place at night. They carried torches and lamps for the procession.

Delay
This is not surprising as people of the East rule their time and not time ruling them.

In the early church, Jesus was expected to come soon. But he did not.

Oil
Symbol of repentance

I do not know you.
I will have nothing to do with you.

The point of the parable

The secondcoming of Jesus is uncertain. We have to be alert. Otherwise, we might find ourselves not ready and therefore, excluded from the Kingdom of Heaven.

REFLECTION

The Lord will come at the end of time. But he will also come to us at the moment of death. But he also comes to us everyday. I will focus on prayer as that sacred moment and sacred space when we come to the Lord and the Lord comes to us.

Someone asked: where do you hide God so that man will not find him?

In outer space? But man will build a space ship to reach him.

At the bottom of the ocean? But man has submarines to reac him.

At the ends of the earth? But man has vehicles to reach him there, too.

Where will you hide him then? In the heart of man. Why there? Because man has forgotten to pray.

What is prayer then? It is going into the inner recesses of one's heart to meet God who is already there.

JESUS TAKES TO TASK THE PHARISEES (Mt 23:1-12)

Monday, October 17, 2005

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" Mt 22:34-40

BACKGROUND

The question posed on Jesus is meant to divide the multitudes for or against Jesus. There are 613 commandments of the Talmud. By choosing one among the 613, there will surely be those who will disagree and, therefore, go against Jesus.

But Jesus did not choose from any of them. Jesus went beyond the commandments of the Talmud. He pointed to the Commandment of Love as the commandment that covers all other commandments and that provides the motivation for obeying them. Indeed, love is what makes obedience to God's commandments life-giving.

Come to think of it. The answer of Jesus is not surprising. For as John's letter said: God is love.

STORY
Love in Action

I came across this story in Reader's Digest. The writer claims it is a true-to-life story. It happened during the Vietnam war.

One day the medics brought a badly injured boy to the field hospital. His young friends accompanied him.

The injured boy needed blood transfusion. The doctors and nurses did not know how to speak vietnamese. But they had to tell the young friends that their injured boy needed blood and if they would volunteer to donate.

As they tried to explain in sign language, fear registered in the eyes of the young friends. Finally one boy raised his hand.

They had him lied down and the procedure started. After a while the boy started to speak. He was crying as he did so. The nurses came to him to comfort him.

A translator happened to pass by the field hospital. He was called to the boy's side. They spoke. Then the translator began to laugh as he talked to the boy. The doctors and nurses asked the translator what happened.

He told them that the young friends thought that the doctors were asking them for a volunteer to give all his blood to the injured friend. And the boy who volunteered was crying because he wanted to know if his end was near.

CONCLUSION

Jesus said that the greatest commandment is love. He also said that there is no greater love than this than to lay down one's life for one's friend.

PS
By the way love is not a noun. It is a verb.

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? (Mt 22:15-21)

Herodians
They were supporters of Herod the Great and his family. They favored collaboration with the romans. If Jesus took the position of not paying taxes, they would report him to the Romans.

Pharisees
They were against Roman occupation, but opted for peaceful means. The zealots on the other hand, opted for violent means. Simon the zealot became an apostle of Jesus. People in general resented Roman occupation. If he took the position of paying taxes, he would antagonize them. Either way Jesus answered, he would be a loser.

Denarius
This was the coin used to pay the census tax. It bore the portrait of Tiberus and bore the inscription: Tiberius Caesar, Son of the Divine Augustus. By possessing the denarius, the Herodians and the disciples of the Pharisees accepted the fact of Roman occupation, though grudgingly, and its benefits and thus, also the duty of taxation. But they are also to give to God what belongs to God, something which they have failed to do, as the two previous parables have shown (parable of the vineyard and parable of the wedding feast).

REFLECTION

Justice

It is the virtue by which we give to everyone what is due to him (what he has a right to).

Duties to self

Preserving one's health, developing our minds, our character, our talents. We do not only have the duty of earning a living but also making our life worth living. We have the highest duty of saving our souls.

Duties to others.

Spouses have the duties of fidelity, support, companionship, forgiveness and understanding.

Parents have the duty of providing their children food, clothing, shelter, love, education and training.

For citizens, JFK said it so beautifully: Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.

We have the duty to know, love and serve God. Sunday Mass is something we owe him. Obedience to his commandments is another.

Final thought

Everyone seems to be conscious of their rights. But how many are as aware and as concerned about his duties. Perhaps our country would be in better shape if we were more conscientious about fulfilling our duties.

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

THE PARABLE OF THE WEDDING FEAST (22:1-14)

The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.
The king is God. The king's son is the messiah.

He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast.
The servants are the prophets and the apostles. The guests are the Jews.

The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
The destruction of Jeruslem is meant here.

Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.
The new guests from the streets are the sinners and the gentiles.

He saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
The wedding garment was clean and white clothing.

Notes

Last Sunday's parable and this Sunday's parable are to be understood in the same way. God chose Israel first but the Jews did not respond with obedience and faith. The Jews were punished and God's choice passes on to others.

The parable of the wedding garment teaches that it is not enough to be a member of the church. One must be clothed with faith and good works.

REFLECTION

Sunday Mass - God's Feast for His Children

A grandmother died at 81. At 78 she had a stroke. After recovering, relatives told his grandson, "She doesn't have to go to Mass anymore." Overhearing them, the old woman remarked: "I never went to church because I HAD to."

When will the time come when everyone will join Sunday Mass not because they have to, but becasue they want to?

Only when we have learned to love God from the heart.

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD (Mt 21:33-43)

There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
The landowner is God. The vineyard is Israel. The hedge is a wall of stone to protect the vineyard from animals and from flash floods. The grapes were pressed at the winepress and stored in vats for fermentation. The tower is for the guards.

Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
The tenants were the leaders of Israel. Absentee landlords were common in Israel.

He sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
The servants were the prophets. In the bible the Early Prophets were from Joshua to 2 Kings; the Later Prophets were from Isaiah to Malachi.

But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’
The son is Jesus. If the owner has no other heir, when he dies the estate will really go to the tenants.

They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
Jesus was crucified in Calvary outside Jerusalem.

He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times.
In 70AD Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans. The other tenants are the Christians who now form the new Israel.

REFLECTION

Many years ago a softdrink snatched a significant share of the market from a leading brand. This second placer came up with the idea of marketing a family size product. I heard that the leading brand fired a top executive because he failed to meet expectations. Someone replaced him. The mission: bring back its market share.

God replaced Israel because it failed to give the fruits expected of it by God.

We who belong to the New Israel can not be complacent. Having good intentions is the first step. But it is not enough. We need to bear good fruits. As someone said: "The road that leads to hell is paved with good intentions.

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Parable of the Two Sons (Mt 21:28-32)

Commentary taken from The Jerome Biblical Commentary

This parable is the first of three parables of judgment. The other two parables are the Parable of the Vineyard and the Wicked Tenants and the Parable of the Marriage Feast. All three are addressed to the chief priests and elders.

A man had two sons.
The two sons do not stand for Jews and Gentiles. Rather they stand for two kinds of Jews: the faithless leaders and the faithful outcasts (public sinners). Where do the Gentile Christians stand? Among the believing sinners.

Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.
The vineyard is a symbol for Israel.

He said in reply, 'Yes, sir,' but did not go.
No one will emerge triumphant from the last judgment on the basis of right words. Only a life of love and justice will count.

Which of the two did his father's will?
Obedient faith is always the final test for Matthew.

Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.
Tax collectors and prostitutes are Jewish outcasts. Yet it is they who will enter the Kingdom of God ahead of the others. Why? Because they knew they needed to repent whereas the leaders considered themselves righteous and felt no need for repentance.

REFLECTION

The religious leaders thought highly of themselves. After all they scrupulously obeyed the Law. They had something to rely on. But sinners could not rely on what they did. Therefore, they relied on what was left to rely on, Jesus. They were fortunate because entry into the Kingdom is only through Jesus.

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard (Mt 20:116).

A landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard…
Laborers assemble as early as 6am in public places to make deals for their services.

After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage…
The denarius was a workman’s daily wage.

Going out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
They were gossiping.

He went out again around noon, and around three o'clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o'clock, he found others standing around…
These last must probably too lazy to work.

When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Summon the laborers….
The Greek word used for owner is kyrios (lord). It is often used for God.

Take what is yours and go.
The denarius given to the first group is their wage; to the second, as the owner’s gift. Because the owner is the master of his property, he can do as he pleases.

LESSON:

The owner of the vineyard goes on into the evening hiring workers. Yet he gives all the same full day’s wage of one denarius. With the first group, he acts justly. With the second group, he acts generously.

The Jews were chosen first. But the Gentiles (we) who were called later are also treated in the same way.

Peter was called first. Paul came later. Yet God gave Paul an important mission (Apostle of the Gentiles), as he gave to Peter the important mission of Apostles to the Jews.

God is the Master and Lord of the Universe. He can act as he pleases. He can give his gifts as he wills. But God never acts arbitrarily. He is guided only by his love and goodness. We should, therefore, trust god and let him act the way he does.

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?" (Matthew 18:21-35)

Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times."

Rabbis taught that forgiveness may be given 3 times. Or at most 4 times. Therefore, Peter thought that 7 was generous enough. But Jesus taught that there is no limit to forgiveness.

A debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount (10,000 talents).

The servant was an official. Someone computed the amount to be US$60 billion.

His master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt.

The amount to be realized in selling them would not even cover a fraction of the US$ 60B. Selling them was, therefore, a punishment.

Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.

This was clearly impossible.

When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount (100 denarii).

This was equivalent to US$200. Compare how little the fellow servant owed to what he owed to the king. Compare how the king treated him and how he treated his fellow servant.

Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers...

It might be that the official was hiding part of the US$60B. The king wanted to get it back.

Until he should pay back the whole debt.

He can never hope to raise the amount. Therefore, his torment would be unending.

Lessons

1. We must forgive one another because their offenses are small compared to our offenses against God.
2. We must forgive one another because refusal to do so would mean not being forgiven by God.

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.

Commentary taken from the New American Bible, unless stated otherwise.

If your brother sins against you....

This passage is how they are to deal with one who sins and yet remains within the community. First there is to be private correction; if this is unsuccessful, further correction before two or three witnesses; if this fails, the matter is to be brought before the assembled community (mine: the church; in Greek the assembly of the faithful is ekklesia), and if the sinner refuses to attend to the correction of the church, he is to be expelled (mine: excommunicated).

Your brother....
A fellow disciple.

Against you....
Some manuscripts do not have the words "against you". In this case it would read, "if your brother sins" and thus, broadens the type of sin in question.

If he refuses to listen even to the church,then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
In the Jewish community, gentiles and tax collectors were not welcome.

Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven....
The church's judgment will be ratified in heaven, i.e., by God. It would seem that in this verse the power given previously to Peter of binding and loosing is now also given to the church. But this is not so. Here only the power of excommunication is intended.

If two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray....
The section ends with a saying about the favorable response of God to prayer, even to that of a very small number, for Jesus is in the midst of any gathering of his disciples, however small.

This saying is similar to one attributed to a rabbi executed in A.D. 135 at the time of the second Jewish revolt: ". . . When two sit and there are between them the words of the Torah, the divine presence (Shekinah) rests upon them".

My reflection on prayer:

Personal/individual prayer is good. In fact, Jesus prayed alone. He instructed his disciples to pray in secret, that is, in one's room. But this has to be balanced by rpayer with the community. The Acts of the Apostles mentioned the community praying together int he temple and Breaking Bread in their homes.

We pray together in community when we come to church, when we join a prayer meeting, when we start a meeting with a prayer, when we pray for the dead together.

While we should continue asking individuals to pray for us or for our intentions, we should also ask groups to pray for us or for our intentions.

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,take up his cross, and follow me. (Mt 16:21-27)

... That he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly ... and be killed and on the third day be raised.

New American Bible (NAB) commentary:

• This first prediction of the passion serves as a corrective to an understanding of Jesus' messiahship as solely one of glory and triumph. By his addition of "from that time on" Matthew has emphasized that Jesus' revelation of his coming suffering and death marks a new phase of the gospel. Neither this nor the two later passion predictions can be taken as sayings that, as they stand, go back to Jesus himself. However, it is probable that he foresaw that his mission would entail suffering and perhaps death, but was confident that he would ultimately be vindicated by God.

Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me.."

NAB commentary:

• Peter's refusal to accept Jesus' predicted suffering and death is seen as a satanic attempt to deflect Jesus from his God-appointed course, and the disciple is addressed in terms that recall Jesus' dismissal of the devil in the temptation account ("Get away, Satan!"). Peter's satanic purpose is emphasized by Matthew's addition to the Marcan source of the words "You are an obstacle to me".

My reflection:

Just a while ago Jesus addressed him as the rock on which he will build his church (cf. last Sunday's gospel reading). Now Jesus calls him Satan. How come?

It's the temptation in the wilderness all over again. After his baptism by John at the Jordan, the Spirit led him to the wilderness. And there for 40 days and 40 nights Satan tempted him. What was the temptation?

It was the mission of Jesus to save the world through the way of the cross. That was the Father's will. But Satan wanted Jesus to be savior through another way, through popularity, through power and through incredible deeds. Jesus chose the way laid out by his Father.

That wilderness experience ended with the words: "When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time."

Now the devil returned and through Peter was tempting Jesus to abandon the way of the cross. But Jesus was firm. He was not to be dissuaded from doing the Father's will.

"You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."

An anecdote: Two high school classmates, A and E, had a quarrel. Afterwards, A said: "I'd like to forgive E, but my other classmates may say that it is because I am afraid of him." If E was thinking the way God thinks, perhaps his attitude would have been different.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

NAB commentary:

• A readiness to follow Jesus even to giving up one's life for him is the condition for true discipleship; this will be repaid by him at the final judgment

• Deny himself: to deny someone is to disown him and to deny oneself is to disown oneself as the center of one's existence.

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

This is a pun on Peter's name. In Greek it would be Petros (Peter), petra (rock). In Aramaic it would be both kepa. The Church that Jesus would build would remain steadfast. It would find its footing on the faith proclaimed by Peter.

I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus gives to Peter the leadership over his Church.

Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

God shall bind and loose what Peter binds and looses. In the language of the rabbis this would mean binding the devil in exorcism, juridical acts of excommunication and definitive decision making. This verse thus gives enormous authority to Peter.

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

THE CANAANITE WOMAN (Matthew 15:21-28)

Tyre and Sidon
It is situated north of Israel. It still exists in modern-day Lebanon. This is the only time in Matthew when Jesus brings his ministry into Gentile territory.

Canaanite Woman
Instead of using the contemporary "Syrophoenician" as Mark does, Matthew uses the ancient term Canaanite. Is it an allusion to Rahab mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus? Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the King (Mt 1:5-6). Rahab was the Canaanite woman who hid the spies sent by Joshua.

Son of David
Why is the woman who seeks healing from Jesus address him as Son of David? In the Judaism of NT times, Solomon was regarded as a healer, too. And Solomon was a son of David.

But Jesus did not say a word to her.
The mission of the historical Jesus is to gather Israel for the end-time events. Nevertheless, the healing of the Centurion's slave and the healing of this woman's daughter were glimpses of the later opening up of the mission to all nations. At his ascension Jesus gave this great commission to his disciples: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of ALL nations."

"Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us."
Jesus ignores her but she doesn't give up. Her love for her child will not make her give up.

"It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs."
The children were the Jews. Dogs and pigs were the Jewish terms of contempt for Gentiles (non-Jews). Jesus must have these words with a smile on his lips. In other words, there was no insult intended.

"Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters."
Touche. The woman was not only persistent. She was also witty. She uses Jesus own words to her advantage, to gain healing for her daughter.

"O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish."
In Matthew she was the only one about whom Jesus remarked as having great faith. But even in the healing of the Centurion's slave, Jesus marvelled at the faith shown by the man ("In no one in Israel have I found such faith.") It is significant that neither the woman nor the Centurion was a Jew. Both were Gentiles.

THOUGHTS ON PRAYER

No. 1.

God always hears our prayers. Sometimes his answer is "yes". At other times his answer is "no". Still at other times his answer is "wait".

No. 2
If I answer your prayer at once
it is because I'm testing your faith

If I answer your prayer later
it is because I'm testing your patience

If I don't answer your prayer
it is because I have something better planned for you.

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

"O YOU OF LITTLE FAITH, WHY DID YOU DOUBT?"

Jesus made the disciples get into a boat...

The better Greek translation would be: "Jesus compelled his disciples to get into a boat..." Why would he do that?

John's Gospel says that having seen the miracle, the people wanted to forcibly make him king. The people's idea of the messiah was a political and earthly one. But Jesus was not that kind of Messiah.

The disciples were perhaps thinking along the same line. They had to be shielded from this misconception. It is noteworthy that even after the Resurrection some of the disciples still held onto the hope of an earthly kingdom. They asked when he would re-establish the kingdom of David.

Jesus went up on the mountain by himself to pray.

Jesus was tired. He had his hands full that day. Yet he prayed. He communed with his Father. He was able to pray because he found the time to pray. And he made sure he had the time to pray because being alone with his Father was important to him.

During the fourth watch of the night...

In ancient time the night was divided into four watched: from 6pm-9pm, 9pm-12am, 12am-3am and 3am-6am. The time was around 3am.

"Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."

Someone said that you can find the phrase "do not be afraid" 365 times in the bible. It is as if God is re-assuring us everyday of the year.

"Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."

That Peter could ask for such a thing meant great faith. It is enough for Jesus to give him permission to walk on the water for him to be able to walk on the water. In fact, he was able to walk on the water until...

But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink...

As long as he had his eyes fixed on Jesus, everything was alright. But when he took his gaze away from Jesus, fear took over and he began to sink.

"Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter.

In the midst of the vicissitudes of life we can always cry out, "Lord, save me." Knowing that the Lord is there gives us courage and confidence.

"O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

I think the Lord was not angry with Peter. I think he was disappointed or even sorry for Peter. Peter started out with great faith but "lost" it in just a few seconds. Later Peter would tell Jesus that even if everyone would desert him, he would never desert him. Feeling sorry for Peter, Jesus had to tell him that before the cock crows he would have denied him three time.

After they got into the boat, the wind died down.

Jesus does not take away our problems. He doesn't protect us from the trials of life. But he does give us peace of heart and mind even in the midst of the problems and the trials that come our way.

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

MULTIPLICATION OF FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISH

THE MOSAIC

Christians of the early Byzantine period built monasteries, churches and shrines in Galilee and on the shores of the Sea of Galilee to commemorate the ministry of Jesus and the miracles ascribed to him. Tabgha – an Arabic corruption of the Greek name Heptapegon (Seven Springs) – is the traditional site of the Miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes (Matt 14: 13-21). It is situated in a narrow, fertile valley on the northern shore of the lake, watered by several springs.

The Byzantine mosaic above was found in the ruins of the basilica, now restored.

(Jewish Virtual Library)

COMMENTARY

New American Bible

The taking, saying the blessing, breaking, and giving to the disciples correspond to the actions of Jesus over the bread at the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26). Since they were usual at any Jewish meal, that correspondence does not necessarily indicate a eucharistic reference here. Matthew's silence about Jesus' dividing the fish among the people (Mark 6:41) is perhaps more significant in that regard.

The fragments left over: as in Elisha's miracle, food was left over after all had been fed. The word fragments (Greek klasmata) is used, in the singular, of the broken bread of the Eucharist in Didache 9:3-4.

William Barclay

He says that you may explain the miracle in three ways:

First, it really was a miracle which meant the suspension of the laws of nature.

Second, it was a sacramental experience. The people received a morsel of food but through which they experienced spiritual strengthening.

Third, Jesus by sharing the bread he received inspired others to do the same, that is, to share the bread which they were keeping only for themselves.

DON BOSCO

Do miracles similar to this happen?

We read in the life of Don Bosco (St. John Bosco) several instances of him multiplying not only bread but chestnuts and even Eucharistic bread.

A boy at the Oratory had decided to leave the boarding school and return home. That morning at breakfast he noticed that the bread delivered was not enough for everyone. He saw Don Bosco take the basket and begin distributing bread. To his amazement there was bread enough for all. When his mother arrived to take him home, he changed his mind. He later became a Salesian.

SAYING GRACE

Jewish Sabbath

Hamotzi or blessing over the bread: Beginning with the father each person in turn repeats the blessing over the challah (bread): "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth."

Christian Grace before meals

"Bless us, O Lord, and these your gifts which we are about to receive from your bounty through Christ, our Lord. Amen."

The Gospel says that before the bread was distributed for the eating, Jesus first said the blessing. To me saying grace before eating is a recognition of God's providence. God is good to me. The food that I eat comes from his goodness and I thank him for that.

In the life of St. Dominic Savio (He was barely fifteen when he died. He was a teenage saint, almost fifteen when he died.) we read that when he was a young boy, a man came to eat with them. But the man did not say grace. He quietly left the table. When his parents asked him privately why he left, he said that he didn't want to eat in the company of a man who behaved like an animal. Animals do not say grace before meals.

Saying grace in public then becomes a public expression of our faith in the providence in God.

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

PARABLES OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE AND PRICELESS PEARL

BACKGROUND TO THE PARABLES

American Bible Commentary

These two parables have the same point. The person who finds a buried treasure and the merchant who finds a pearl of great price sell all that they have to acquire these finds; similarly, the one who understands the supreme value of the kingdom gives up whatever he must to obtain it. The joy with which this is done is made explicit in the first parable, but it may be presumed in the second also.

In the unsettled conditions of Palestine in Jesus' time, it was not unusual to guard valuables by burying them in the ground.

Gary DeLashmutt Commentary

The first man is probably a farm laborer who stumbles upon a treasure buried in his boss's field. In ancient times, people didn't have safe-deposit boxes. During war, they often buried their wealth on their property. If they died or were exiled, the treasure was lost. In this story, the farm laborer probably kept the information from the landowner and scraped together everything he had to buy the field so the treasure would be legally his (Jesus is not teaching business ethics here!).

The second man is a wholesale pearl dealer who probably pays a small fee to examine a huge pile of oysters. He finds among the pile the mother of all pearls, and then liquidates all his assets (including his other pearls) to buy the whole pile and get legal title to the mother of all pearls.

A DISCERNING HEART

The first reading is so chosen because it is related to the Gospel reading. For this Sunday the first reading is about the request of Solomon for a discerning heart. He says that he is young and in order to rule his people well, he needed to be able to discern what is good and what is bad. God was pleased with his request and declared that there will never be anyone in Israel to equal Solomon's wisdom.

How does this related to the Gospel?

A normal person can see how valuable a treasure or pearl. But not everyone will be able to see how valuable the Kingdom of Heaven is. In order to give importance to the things of God, one needs to have a discerning heart. One needs wisdom.

To see as God sees, one needs wisdom. To obtain that wisdom, one needs to pray for it.

APPLICATION

A man went to his doctor asking how he can live to a ripe old age.

The doctor asked him, "Do you smoke?" "No."

"Do you drink." "No."

"Do you romantic liaisons?" "No."

Exasperated, the doctor blurted, "Then why on earth do you want to live long?"

The doctor did not have the wisdom to see what it is that makes life worth living. He did not have the discerning heart of Solomon.

How about you?

Mary Magdalene July 22

Mary Magdalen was so called either from Magdala near Tiberias, on the west shore of Galilee, or possibly from a Talmudic expression meaning "curling women's hair," which the Talmud explains as of an adulteress.

In the New Testament she is mentioned among the women who accompanied Christ and ministered to Him (Luke 8:2-3), where it is also said that seven devils had been cast out of her (Mark 16:9). She is next named as standing at the foot of the cross (Mark 15:40; Matthew 27:56; John 19:25; Luke 23:49). She saw Christ laid in the tomb, and she was the first recorded witness of the Resurrection.

The Greek Fathers, as a whole, distinguish the three persons:

* the "sinner" of Luke 7:36-50;
* the sister of Martha and Lazarus, Luke 10:38-42 and John 11; and
* Mary Magdalen.

Subsequent history of St. Mary Magdalen

The Greek Church maintains that the saint retired to Ephesus with the Blessed Virgin and there died, that her relics were transferred to Constantinople in 886 and are there preserved. Gregory of Tours (De miraculis, I, xxx) supports the statement that she went to Ephesus. However, according to a French tradition, Mary, Lazarus, and some companions came to Marseilles and converted the whole of Provence. Magdalen is said to have retired to a hill, La Sainte-Baume, near by, where she gave herself up to a life of penance for thirty years. When the time of her death arrived she was carried by angels to Aix and into the oratory of St. Maximinus, where she received the viaticum; her body was then laid in an oratory constructed by St. Maximinus at Villa Lata, afterwards called St. Maximin.

(Catholic Encyclopedia)

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

THE PARABLE OF THE WEEDS AMONG THE WHEAT

The Weeds

The weeds referred to here is called the bearded darnel. It is said that in the early stages of growth the darnel and the wheat look alike. When they begin to produce grain that is when it is easy to distinguish one from the other. But by that time, their roots are so entwined that when you pull the darnel, you also pull out the wheat. Consequently, the farmers in Palestine allow both to grow and only at harvest time are they separated.

The Sower of the Weeds

It might seem far-fetched for anyone to go through the trouble of sowing weeds in the field of another. Yet it seems to occur because there is a Roman law punishing such a crime. In India a common threat is "I will sow bad seed in your field."

Evil in the World

There is evil in the world. We have to live with that.

But how did evil come into the world? The parable says that it is the enemy who is responsible for the evil in the world. And who is this enemy? The Book of Genesis says that it is Satan.

But how could God allow such a thing to happen? Again Genesis says that it is because the first human beings instead of listening to God, listened to Satan.

Agents of Satan

Though the Book of Genesis presents Satan as directly causing Adam and Eve to fall, the common sources of temptation are other people, places and things. And among the three, the most potent and the most common cause of sin is probably people.

Once Don Bosco had a dream. He saw the devils doing nothing but lie down outside the gates of his school. Don Bosco asked them what they were doing there. They were supposed to be inside the school tempting his boys to sin. But the devils responded by saying that they have agents inside doing the job for them.

It was because of this that Don Bosco never tired to telling his boys to flee from bad companions as they would flee from a poisonous snake.

For parents, it is important for you to know the company that your children keep. To do that let your children invite their friends to come to your house.

For adults, remember the saying: "Birds of the same feather flock together." It's a matter of choosing the kind of company that you keep.

Are You a BI?

BI means bad influence. The problem might not be that of keeping bad company. The problem might be that we are the bad company. How's that?

It is possible that because of the bad example that we give, we cause others to sin.

The Patience of God

Masamang damo, matagal mamatay.

Perhaps there some truth in that saying. For God wants all men to be saved and that is why he gives evil people all the chances to repent and return to him.

Like Bambi Harper I'm Sick and Tired of All This

If you did not read the Inquirer today, read this....

After Susan Roces screeched her way through a diatribe against the President (I heard about it while I was stuffing my mouth with chocolate cake in frustration during lunch), I wished someone would ask me to go on TV so I could tell the whole lot of them (meaning the entire government and sundry hangers on) to go away and leave us in peace.

You realize, of course, that the myth being offered is that if GMA resigns, everything will be all right. It's the usual one person to blame for everything (before that, it was the US of A and before that, Spain) and if you remove the splinter we'll have no more pain. (Am I mixing my metaphors? I wouldn't doubt it, but you get the general idea). Excuse me? Are we falling for that tired line again? Haven't we heard that siren song once too often?

Are all these people, who are insisting on the resignation of one individual, actually of the belief that if the President resigns, the entire government will suddenly undergo a change of heart, i.e., repent and develop creative thinking abilities, not to mention a conscience and moral values? You really think Jinggoy Estrada or Bong Revilla or Lito Lapid can solve the economic problems of this country?

We are being asked to believe that the solution lies in a change to a parliamentary system. Why? Wouldn't the same idiots be running for office again? Wouldn't they still be perpetuating dynasties and running to protect vested interests? Now if you told me that none of our incumbent elected officials would run, then perhaps there's a chance--a slim one, mind you--that things might be put right. But still we should remember that elections in this country are rigged and voters are bribed.

BAMBI HARPER, PDI

St. Benedict, July 11

Roman nobility. Twin brother of Saint Scholastica. Studied in Rome, but was dismayed by the lack of discipline and the lackadasical attitude of his fellow students. Fled to the mountains near Subiaco, living as a hermit in a cave for three years; reported to have been fed by a raven. His virtues caused an abbey to request him to lead them. Founded the monastery at Monte Cassino, where he wrote the Rule of his order. His discipline was such that an attempt was made on his life; some monks tried by poison him, but he blessed the cup and rendered it harmless. He returned to his cave, but continued to attract followers, and eventually established twelve monasteries. Had the ability to read consciences, prophesy, and forestall attacks of the devil. Destroyed pagan statues and altars, drove demons from groves sacred to pagans. At one point there were over 40,000 monasteries guided by the Benedictine Rule. A summation of the Rule: "Pray and work." (Catholic Encyclopedia)

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.

What are parables?

The word parable (Hebrew mashal; Syrian mathla, Greek parabole) signifies in general a comparison, or a parallel, by which one thing is used to illustrate another. It is a likeness taken from the sphere of real, or sensible, or earthly incidents, in order to convey an ideal, or spiritual, or heavenly meaning.

Its Greek designation (from paraballein to throw beside or against) indicates a deliberate "making up" of a story in which some lesson is at once given and concealed.

the New Testament parables have each a definite meaning, to be ascertained from the explanation, where Christ deigns to give one, as in the sower; and when none such is forthcoming, from the occasion, introduction, and appended moral.

(Catholic Encyclopedia)

Background of the Parable

In our country the farmer prepares the field first and only then does he plant. But in Palestine it's the reverse. The farmer sows the seed and only then does he plow the field. For this reason it is indeed possible that in process of sowing some seed will fall on the footpath, others among the weeds. The Palestinian fields are said to hide stones. When the field is plowed, the stones are unearthed. Hence, the seed falling on stoney ground.

About the weeds that have thorns. When we visited the Dominus Flevit Church in the year of the Great Jubilee I saw a plant with long sharp thorns. They look like the 'aroma' tree here in the Philippines. Gosh, if that was the tree from which the crown of thorns was made, I couldn't imagine the pain suffered by Jesus.

Message of the Parable

The parable is illustrating the apparent failure of the ministry of Jesus. The Jews as a people did not receive Jesus and his message. Nevertheless, the few who did receive him and his message produced abundant fruit in their ministry among the gentiles.

St. Jerome

Born at Stridon, a town on the confines of Dalmatia and Pannonia, about the year 340-2; died at Bethlehem, 30 September, 420.

He translated the bible into the Latin vulgate, that is, the Latin which the common people spoke. In this way he opened the Word of God to ordinary people. He said: "Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ."

He left everything and retired to Bethlehem and lived a monastic life. Once Jesus appeared to him and said: "Jerome, surrender to me everything." He replied, "But Lord, I have surrendered everything to you." But Jesus insisted, "Jerome, surrender to me even your sins."

Resign? Impeach? People Power?

These are the thoughts that have come to me in face of the current political crisis.

Erap (as expected) said that Cory's call not to resort to people power was the height of political hypocrisy since she herself was catapulted to power through people power.

• Response: Resorting to people power again is one too many. It leads to political instability, which is bad for the economy. And who suffers most? The poor of the land. Cory was right.

If Gloria resigns, who will take over? Noli? Omigosh! Erap? Heaven forbid! Who? To me Gloria is the lesser of the two evils. But they respond: "Is it possible that among the 85 million Filipinos there is no one capable of being president?

• Response: Give me a name...if you can.

Did Gloria steal the elections? One bishop said that after the 2004 elections the CBCP had a meeting and they were asked if in their diocese the cheating was so bad that the will of the people was subverted. The answer was that this happened only in Cotabato and Basilan.

On July 8 the priests of the Archdiocese of Manila will come together with Archbishop Rosales in order to discuss the current political crises. Next week the CBCP will meet also on the same issue. I will wait so that I will be guided by these two meetings.

Inspiration

You say: "I'm too tired"
God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

FOR MY YOKE IS EASY AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT.

MY YOKE IS EASY.

The Jews use the phrase 'the yoke of the Torah and the yoke of the Kingdom' to mean submission to the Torah and to the Kingdom. Here it refers to the interpretation of Jesus of the law.

In comparison to the the interpretation of the Pharisees, the teaching of Jesus is quantitatively easier because it is shorter and centered on the essential. However, because of the righteousness demanded in 5:20 (I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.), it is qualitatively more difficult.

I would like to imagine that the yoke of Jesus is easy because the yoke he is talking about is a double yoke, that is, it is for two oxen. It is easier to pull a load when two are working at it. Hence, it is also easier to meet the demands of Jesus because he is helping us meet those demands. He himself said in 5:48 "You must be made perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." It is not me who makes myself perfect. Yes, I must cooperate with God. But still it is the grace of God working in me.

The Greek word used for 'easy' is 'chrestos'. But it can also be translated as 'well-fitting'. It means that yoke was tailor-made to fit the ox. It would be consoling to think that whatever God sends me in this life is something that I can handle. When Paul complained to the Lord about his illness and asked him to take it away, the Lord told him: "My grace is enough for you." Writing to the Corinthians, he assured them that he "will not allow you to be tested beyond your strength." Indeed, "God will not lead you where his grace cannot keep you."

MY BURDEN IS LIGHT.

In 1969 a song was released entitled: "He ain't heavy. He's my brother." The title came from the motto of Boys' Town founded by Fr. Flanagan in 1917.

In 1941, Father Flanagan was looking at a magazine called The Messenger when he came across a drawing of a boy carrying a younger boy on his back, with the caption, "He ain't heavy Mr., he's my brother." Father Flanagan thought the image and phrase captured the spirit of Boys Town, so he got permission and commissioned a statue of the drawing with the inscription, "He ain't heavy Father, he's my brother."

The Two Brothers concept precedes the magazine illustration that Father Flanagan saw. In 1921, there was a resident at Boys Town who had difficulty walking. He wore leg braces and the other boys would often take turns giving him a ride on their backs. There is a famous photograph of this boy and one of the other youth giving him a ride.

There is another version of the story. One day a man saw a small boy carrying a still smaller boy on his back. The smaller boy was lame. As the they passed by, the man commented to the small boy, "That's a heavy burden for you to carry." The small boy answered, "He's no burden, Mister. He's my little brother."

The point is not that the burden is easy to carry. The point is that love makes the heaviest burdens light.

Inspiration

You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

WHOEVER LOVES FATHER OR MOTHER MORE THAN ME IS NOT WORTHY OF ME.

GOD FIRST

INTRODUCTION: FAMILY FIRST

There is a company with the name: Family First. It is because of family first that many Filipinos go abroad and work. But if we put God into the picture, then Family First must give way to God First.

When the scribes and Pharisees asked, “Which is the greatest commandment.” Jesus responded, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

GOD FIRST

God is to be loved over and above everyone and everything else. God first. When God tells Israel in the Old Testament that he is a jealous God, he is telling them that he permits no rival. He and he alone must occupy the first place.

Thomas More was a man who gave God first place over King Henry VIII of England and in so doing lost his life on earth but found it again in heaven. The king with the support of the majority of Bishops of England petitioned the Pope to allow him to divorce Queen Katherine of Aragon. The Pope replied with “what God has joined together, let no man put asunder.” The king broke away from Rome and established the Anglican church. With the blessing of the Anglican church, he divorced Queen Katherine and married Anne Boleyn. In April 1534, More refused to swear to the Act of Succession and the Oath of Supremacy. The Oath of Supremacy recognized Henry the VIII as head of the Church of England. For that he was charged with treason and imprisoned at the Tower of London. He was beheaded on July 6, 1535. At the scaffold, he declared: “I am the King’s good servant. But God’s first.”

JESUS FIRST

When Jesus told his disciples that he, Jesus, takes precedence over mother, father, son or daughter, even over their very self, he in fact is declaring himself to be God. Consequently, when choices have to be made, the choice will have to be Jesus Christ.

Polycarp was a disciple of the Apostle John and an early church leader whose life ended when he refused to betray Jesus Christ. Asked one last time to reject his Christ, the old man replied, “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I speak evil of my King who saved me?”

For choosing Jesus, he was burned alive.

IDOLATRY

We often think of idolatry as worshipping idols. And being modern and educated, we would think that adoring graven images as if they were gods is something that happens only among the ignorant and superstitious.

But idolatry can take on subtle forms. For instance, to allow someone or something to take precedence over God is a form of idolatry.

Not to go to Mass on Sunday because of laziness is a form of idolatry. I become the idol because I put my laziness ahead of God. I grab the first place from God.

Corruption is a form of idolatry. I put money in the first place. I refuse to listen to God who tells me to be honest.

Not giving time to prayer is a form a idolatry, too. Other people and other things become more important than God so much so that I no longer have time for God. God is no longer first.

CONCLUSION

"I am a Christian, and this I profess until the hour of my death and for God I shall give my life. Although I did not come to Japan to be a martyr, nevertheless as a Christian and for God I shall give my life." St. Lorenzo Ruiz.

Perhaps none of us will ever be called to die for Jesus Christ. But as John Paul II said when he canonized Lorenzo Ruiz: “The call to die for the faith is a call for some. But the call to live the faith is a call for all.” May our lives always show that God occupies the first place in our lives.

Inspiration

You say: "I can't do it"
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

YOU ARE WORTH MORE THAN MANY SPARROWS

HAVE NO FEAR OF THEM

We all experience fear.

When we were at the Universal Studios, we were at that point of the tour where sound effects were recorded and synchronized with a movie. The emcees asked for volunteers. Many hands were raised. I thought to myself: "If we were in the Philippines, you would be lucky to see 5 hands raised." Why this? We are either shy or afraid. We are afraid of making a fool of ourselves. We are afraid of not performing good enough.

When I was a Catechist, I used to bring the boys to Batulao for their retreat. I would sleep near the door so that in case someone needed to go to the CR at night but was afraid, he could wake me up.

I read of a US soldier who was stationed in Korea during the Vietnam war. He was afraid that he might be shipped out there. So he fled to North Korea.

More tragic was the case of a young man who hanged himself because he was afraid his father might get to know about the overseas phone bills he accumulated at his uncle's office because of phone sex.

The effects of fear

In the face of a perceived threat, our natural emotional reponse is fear. Fear makes us pause. It enables us to examine the situation and decide whether to flee or fight. The goal is self-preservation.

When I was still studying theology at UST, I saw a college student running as fast as his feet could carry him. There was fear written all over his face. He was probably running away from someone who was out to hurt him.

But fleeing does not have to mean running away. It could also mean hiding. Last time I heard, Atty. Ong is in hiding.

Dealing with fear

Sometimes we are the ones who scare ourselves. Some of us refuse to speak in public. Why? Because we tell ourselves that we might say something wrong and get embarrassed. The solution is to silence the negative dialog that goes on in our heads.

Another strategy is to ask ourselves: "What is the worst thing that can happen?" The answer might be something that we can live with. For example, I am afraid of praying before meals when I eat lunch with my colleagues. I ask myself: "What is the worst thing that can happen?" Answer: "They might remark that I am being too holy." Question: "Can I live with that?" Answer: "Yes."

Another strategy is to look at fear straight in the eye. I admit that I am afraid of the needle. Before I would turn away when the nurse would insert the needle to get blood for testing. Then one day I decided to look at fear straight in the eye. I forced myself not to turn away. I looked as the nurse inserted the needle into my vein.

The best strategy, however, is to have faith in God. Jesus tells us today: "Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

When St. Dominic Savio was a small boy he used to walk to school alone. A farmer who often see him trudge the road many time asked him one day: "Aren't you afraid to walk alone." And Dominic answered: "No. I have my guardian angel with me." Even at such a young age, Dominic believed in a God who was so concerned about his safety that he gave him a guardian angel to watch over him.

Conclusion

Many people have the mistaken notion that brave people are those who do not feel afraid. If you ask them you will be surprised to discover that they too experience fear. But what they do is to act in spite of their fears.

For those who believe that God is good to them, that is enough to act in spite of their fears.

Inspiration

You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

11 Sunday in Ordinary Time

PROMOTING VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD

THE HARVEST IS ABUNDANT BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW.

Perhaps the number of laborers in the Lord's harvest will never be enough. Still the need is great and every effort should be made to work for vocations to the apostolic life.

Some have observed that perhaps this entails some out-of-the-box thinking. If there are few entering the priesthood, why not look to lay people who are willing to share their time, talent and treasure in the apostolate? This is an authentic option because responsibility for the growth of the Kingdom belongs to the Church and the Church is not only priests but lay people, as well. Nevertheless, the ministerial priesthood is indispensable for the life of the God's people. And so work for vocations to the priesthood should continue in earnest.

The obstacles to vocation promotion are many. Parents often stand in the way of their children who have made up their mind to say "Yes" to the Lord. Extended adolescence have made it difficult for young people to make a commitment. The many options facing them have aggravated the situation. Some have expressed the feeling that they are not good enough or not intelligent enough to enter the seminary.

Those who work directly for vocation promotion also have their own "demons" to grapple with--the demons of frustration and discouragement. After so much effort, only a few enter the seminary. At times, none at all. The temptation is to throw in the towel and say: "What's the use!"

In reality vocation promoters do not really plant the seed of vocation. It is God. That is perhaps why Jesus tells us to pray to God for vocations. The task of vocation promoters is to help young people become aware of the seed and help them to take steps to nurture that seed.

What can be the involvement of lay people in vocation promotion? They can encourage young people to say "Yes" to God's call. They can also provide financial support to pay for the studies and board and lodging of the seminarian. Finally, because families are the seed bed of vocations, they can provide a healthy family environment and a lived experience of Christian life in which the seed of vocation can grow and flourish.

Someone said that a vocation is a daily answer of yes to a daily call from God. This means that taking care of one's vocation doesn't stop when one is ordained a priest. It continues until death. For the gift of the priesthood can be lost. For the priest this entails prudence and a fervent spiritual life. For the lay people it means appreciation for their priest, being forgiving of his defects and assurance of their support.

St. John Bosco said with great conviction: "The greatest gift that God can give to a family is a son priest." If this is so, then having a priest in the family is a sign of God's special affection for that family.

Inspiration

You say: "It's impossible."
God says: "All things are possible (Luke 18:27)."

Inspiration

If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (Jn 8:31-32)

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Calling of Matthew

Who was Matthew?

He was an Apostle and an Evangelist. As an Apostle, he was one of the Twelve chosen by Jesus Christ to be his closest collaborator. As an Evangelist, he wrote the Gospel for the Hebrews. His is one of the four Gospels--the others being Mark, Luke and John.

Levi is probably his original name. Matthew was the name given to him by Jesus at the time of his calling.

As a tax collector or publican in Capernaum, he was collecting custom duties for Herod Antipas. Like Zacchaeus, he was probably hated because of corruption and collaboration with the Roman occupation.

We do not have any certainty about his field of evangelization, although most mention Ethiopia south of the Caspian Sea (and not the Ethiopia in Africa).

Ancient testimony points to his martyrdom but there is no agreement as to how he died. Some say he was burned; others, beheaded and still others, stoned.

Follow me

If someone were to say, "Follow me" I could interpret his invitation in three ways:

• Go to where he is going.
• Do as he does. Imitate him.
• Be his disciple (taga-sunod)
  

As Jesus invited Matthew to follow him, he also invitates us to follow him today.

• Is he inviting me to go where he is now--heaven? In other words, is he telling me to keep my eyes fixed not only down but up as well? Is he inviting me to take care not only of my body but also of my soul? Is he not inviting me to raise my mind and heart in prayer to him who is now in heaven?
• Or is he inviting me to imitate him? In other words, is he not asking me to examine myself and see where I have failed to be Christ-like? Is Jesus not inviting me to conversion? I am called a Christian because I am a follower of Christ. This means that I follow a certain way of life. This is probably the reason why Christians were said to follow The Way (see Acts).
• Or is Jesus not inviting me to discipleship? In other words, is Jesus not inviting me to service in the kingdom?
  

The invitation of Jesus turned the world of Matthew upside down.

• From a collaborator of the Romans to a collaborator of God.
  
• From the business of collecting money to the business of "collecting" souls.
  
• From being an employee of Herod to an apostle of Jesus Christ.
  
• From a secure and familiar life to one that is uncertain, a leap in the dark
  

If I were to accept the invitation of Jesus, am I aware of the changes that have happen to me and to my life? This is what we call the cost of discipleship. Sometimes the cost is extreme as in the case of Matthew. By saying yes to Jesus, he had to leave everything behind. Am I able to pay the cost of a yes? Am I even willing?