30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.

Lk 18:9-14

How did the Pharisee and Tax Collector stand before God?

The Pharisee went as near as possible to the altar. He stood erect, head high and his arms outstretched toward heaven. You couldn’t hear anything. But his lips moved. What was he saying? “God, look how good I am. I’ve done everything the Law commands, unlike other people, particularly that tax collector behind. He’s a very bad man, you know.” How did you react? He turned me off. I guess he turned you off, too. I’ve got a feeling that he wanted to add something else, but was too modest to say it. And it’s this: “God, don’t you feel lucky to have me?”

The Tax Collector, on the other hand, was way, way behind. He wouldn’t dare get any nearer. He wouldn’t even dare raise his eyes to heaven. His lips were moving, too. And he kept on beating his breast. What was he saying? “God, look how bad I am. I am sorry. But please accept me, not because I am good but be-cause you are good.” Don’t you feel sorry for this man? If I were God, lalambot ang puso ko (literally, my heart would soften) and I would just hug him and tell him, everything is forgiven. In fact that was what Jesus said. The Tax Collector went home forgiven.

How does man stand before God?

We should not even stand before God. We should bow down as a Creature before his Creator. In times past, man offered the first fruits of his land and of his animals. Today, we can offer to him each day that comes. We call this the morn-ing offering. Here is an example: “O my God, I offer unto Thee all my thoughts, works, joys, and sufferings of this day. And I beseech Thee to grant me Thy grace that I may not offend Thee this day; but may faithfully serve Thee and do Thy holy will in all things. Amen.

But man is not just a creature. He/she is a son/daughter of the Father. And be-cause of that, he/she has no second thoughts about asking. When we ask some-thing from God, we extend our hands, not as beggars, but as his children. But that is not all. Children want to tell their parents news about themselves. They also confide to their parents. They seek their advice. Because we are God’s children, we open our hearts to him.

Having said all these things, we should not forget an important fact. We are sinners before the All-Holy God. Remember the first time Peter met Jesus? They were working all night and caught nothing. But Jesus told them to throw their nets again. And Peter did as Jesus commanded. And he caught a great catch of fish. And Peter fell at Jesus’ feet and said, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Perhaps, our prayer should be a bit different, “Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

One last point. I have heard young people say that one reason why they don’t go to confession anymore is that they are ashamed. Not ashamed of confessing their sins, but ashamed because they promise God not to sin again but find them-selves committing the same sins again. What do I tell them? “Do you remember the parable of the Prodigal Son? All that matters to God is that you return. So reconcile with God as often as you need.”

Finally, a word on humility and contempt.

Humility is truth. When you achieve something, people come and congratu-late you. They say: “Ang galing mo! (literally, you’re good!)” This is the usual response: “Hindi naman. (Oh no!)” Pa-humble effect. This is all wrong. It’s even a lie. Why? Because how could you have succeeded in something, if you’re not good at it. Therefore, how should you respond? Just say, “thank you”.
About contempt. To hold someone in contempt is to look down on him. Mi-namata mo siya. This reminded me of three things. First. The Church in the Philippines has opted to be the Church of the Poor. What does that mean? It means that no one is so rich as to be in need of nothing. And that no one is so poor as to be incapable of contributing something. If that is the case, how can anyone be held in contempt?

The second is from “La Desiderata”. “You are a child of the universe. Listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story.” We all have something to share. And therefore, no one is worthy of contempt.

This brings me to the last point. It’s a story about a boyhood memory. This man adored his father. His father was his hero. One day they rode on a train. His father invited him to come with him to where the driver was. In those days, the train ran on coal. The driver was an old man, near retirement. He was dirty, probably because of the coal. He wondered why his father bothered to talk to the man. Later, he told his father what he thought. And his father replied, “Everyone has something to say that you don’t know yet. Everyone can teach you something new.”

And if you are suffering from inferiority complex, listen to this. If it is true that everyone can teach you something new, then it is also true that you can teach everyone something new.

Hold no one in contempt. But let no one also hold you in contempt.


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The Salesians of Don Bosco is a religious congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to the welfare of the young. If you feel called by God to give your life for the good of the young, you may want help in discovering if this is really God's will for you. Please get in touch with the Vocation Director (Don Bosco North Province, Philippines) - 0917-7930112 - finvoc@yahoo.com - Bro. MON CALLO SDB.

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.

Lk 18:1-8

Our theme for this Sunday is prayer. I’ll first tackle the kinds of prayer and then the qualities that our prayer should have.

The kinds of prayer are: adoration, contrition, thanksgiving and supplication. To remember them easily let us the word “ACTS”.

A. Adoration. When Moses approached the burning bush, God asked him to remove his sandals. In the movie Charleston Heston bowed low on the ground. That was an act of adoration. Adoration is to recognize that God is God.

C. Contrition. In confession we recite the prayer, “Oh my God, I’m heartily sorry for having offended you.” Contrition is sorrow for sins. It is to apologize to God. It is to say sorry.
T. Thanksgiving. When we were young, we used to go to our ninongs (godfa-thers) and ninangs (godmothers) every Christmas. After receiving our gifts, our mother would say, “And what will you say?” Thank you, of course. Thanksgiving is to say thank you to God. Remember the leper who returned to Jesus to thank him for his healing?

S. Supplication, that is, asking God for some favour. Perhaps, this is the most common prayer among us. Sometimes we pray for our needs such as passing the board exams, or getting a job. For this we make a novena or offer a Mass or pray the rosary.

Sometimes we pray for the needs of others, for the dead, for the sick. When St. John Bosco had a pressing need, he would ask his boys to go and visit the Blessed Sacrament and pray for his intentions. He used to say, “Do you want many graces? Visit the Blessed Sacrament often. Do you want few graces? Visit less often.”

Sometimes we pray together for some intention and not just alone. We do this in the prayer of the faithful. In our traditional monthly exercise for a happy death, we have this intention: For the one among us who will be the first to die.

I would also like to mention asking the Saints to pray for our intentions such as St. Jude, St. Anthony, and most of all, the Blessed Mother. St. John Bosco said, “Have trust in Mary Help of Christians and you will see what miracles are.” If you go to Turin you will see the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians. Don Bosco said that every brick of that Basilica represents a grace or a miracle given through the intercession of Mary Help of Christians.

Now the second part, the qualities of our prayer of supplication. Our prayer must be faith-FULL. And secondly, as Jesus said in the gospel, our prayer must be persevering.

Our prayer must be faith-FULL, or full of faith. We pray to God for our needs because we believe that God is concerned about us. Think about it. Why would you pray if at the very outset, you don’t believe that God cares?

But we must also believe that God can do something about our needs. There is a song that professes in the power of God to do something for us, “God will make a way.”

The second quality is persevering prayer. Does God answer all our prayers? Yes. But his answers are not all the same. Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes the answer is no. Sometimes he gives something else. And sometimes the answer is wait.

Why wait? Because everything has its own time. Everything has to fall into place. The past couple of years has been difficult for me. At the time I asked God to deliver me from the suffering I was going through. What was God’s answer? Wait. I had to wait one year to be delivered from that suffering.

We should never lose heart when we pray because God will make a way.

God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way He will make a way

(Don Moen)


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The Salesians of Don Bosco is a religious congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to the welfare of the young. If you feel called by God to give your life for the good of the young, you may want help in discovering if this is really God's will for you. Please get in touch with the Vocation Director (Don Bosco North Province, Philippines) - 0917-7930112 - finvoc@yahoo.com - Bro. MON CALLO SDB.

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?

Lk 17:11-19

EXAMINING THE GOSPEL TEXT

As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"

Lepers are not only people with leprosy but also various kinds of skin disease that make one abhorrent to look at.

Is it significant that there are ten lepers? Yes. If Jesus cured one leper it shows he is powerful. But if he cured ten, it means he is really, really powerful.

The lepers met Jesus outside the village. Why? Lepers were cut off from the community. They live outside villages. They can not enter villages.

They stood at a distance because they can not come near other people. Why? The obvious reason is to prevent other people from getting the disease. But there is a religious reason, too. Their skin disease prevented them from reflecting externally the holiness of Yahweh.

And when he saw them, he said, "Go show yourselves to the priests. As they were going they were cleansed.

That they obeyed Jesus meant that they believed that Jesus would cure them. And in fact, as they went, they were cured. Why was going to the priests an act of faith? Because when one has been cured of leprosy, he went to the priests for the rite of purification. That rite publicly confirms that the person is really cured and can now live with the community.

And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice.
When something wonderful happens to you, you would like to let the world know about it. That is the reason why the man who was cured was thanking God in a loud voice.

He was a Samaritan.

Just as in the parable of the Good Samaritan, so also here the hero is not a Jew but a Samaritan.

Then he said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you."

What did the Samaritan believe? Not only that Jesus would cure him. He also believed that Jesus came from God.

GIVING THANKS

Let us examine the sequence of events in this episode. Jesus came to face with a disease. The ten lepers did not only suffer from a physical ailment. Because they were excluded from the community, they also suffered emotionally. The reaction of Jesus was compassion and mercy. Jesus did not only feel sorry for them. Jesus did something for them. He cured them. The response of the Samaritan was thanksgiving.

Thanking God

Once upon a time a cowboy became a member of the charismatic renewal. So he taught his horse to respond to special commands. When he said, “Thanks be to God” the horse would gallop. When he said, “Praise the Lord” the horse would stop. One day when he was riding his horse, a snake frightened the horse. So the horse started galloping. But at a distance, was a ravine. The cowboy panicked. In his panic he forgot the command for stopping the horse. So he prayed to God to help him remember. Just before reaching the ravine, he remembered the com-mand. He shouted, “Praise the Lord.” And the horse stopped. The cowboy gave a sigh of relief and said, “Thanks be to God.”

When was the last time you thanked God? How often do we thank God? In the first place are we aware of what to thank God for? Is there something more we can do to say thank you to God?

Thanking others

There was an old immigrant woman in the US. But for some reason, she was brought to court. However, the judge ruled in her favour. The following day, the woman brought a bag of coins and brought it to the judge to say thank you. Of course, the judge said thank you but told the woman to keep the money.

Have we formed the habit of saying thank you? At home do you say thank you to one another? Do you teach your children by word and example to say thanks?

Have you seen the film Pay It Forward? What does Pay It Forward mean? When someone does you a favour, you say thank you to that person. When you pay it forward, you do one more thing. You do a favour to another person. Why don’t you give thanks by paying it forward?

Remembering

Gratitude is the memory of the heart. It is easy to be grateful when we remember.

Let me give you an assignment in order to put into practice the message of today’s gospel. Find some time today to remember the good things that have hap-pened to you. Remember the people who were involved in those things. Thank God for those good things. Finally, ask God to bless those people who made those good things happen to you.

Gratitude is the memory of the heart. It is easy to be grateful when we remember.


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The Salesians of Don Bosco is a religious congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to the welfare of the young. If you feel called by God to give your life for the good of the young, you may want help in discovering if this is really God's will for you. Please get in touch with the Vocation Director (Don Bosco North Province, Philippines) - 0917-7930112 - finvoc@yahoo.com - Bro. MON CALLO SDB.

27th SUNDAY in Ordinary Time (C)

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."

Lk 17:5-10

EXEGESIS

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."

First, if our faith in God is not strong enough, something can be done to increase it. And that is to pray for an increase of faith.

Second, why do we need a strong faith in God? Because unless we have a strong faith, God can not give us all of the good things he wants to bless us with. When Jesus went to Nazareth, he was surprised how little faith they had in him. The result? “So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith” (Mk 6: 5-6).

God has his hands full of blessings. But if we have little faith, it is as if our hands are closed and so we are unable to receive his blessings. But when our faith is strong, it is as if both our hand are wide open to receive his blessings.

The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to (this) mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

Jesus is using a hyperbole (exaggeration) here. What is his point? It is this: with faith, great things can happen.

When Don Bosco (St. John Bosco) was dying, he said, “If I had greater faith, I could have done more good.”

It’s like digging a hole. If you use a spoon, you’ll be able to dig a small hole in an hour. If you use a payloader, you’ll be able to dig a big, big hole in an hour. If you don’t have faith, it’s like using a spoon. If you have faith, it’s like using a payloader.

Therefore, if you want great things to happen in your life, you must put your faith in God.

When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'"

What is the point of this parable? To answer this question, we have to identify the audience first, that is, to whom is the parable addressed? To the disciples. Now we ask, “what does Jesus want to say to his disciples?” They will be rewarded not because they have a right to the reward. They will be rewarded because God is good.

Maybe we can put it in more simple terms: If we tried to be good on earth, when we die, we can not go to God and tell him: “Open the gates of heaven for me. I earned it.” No. Instead, our words should be: “I tried to be good on earth. I ask to enter heaven, not because I feel I am good enough for heaven but because you are merciful enough to let me in.”

THOUGHT

Let’s go back to the image of using a spoon and a payloader to dig a hole. Perhaps, our problem is not that we chose a spoon. Maybe the problem is that we chose to dig a small hole and that’s why we are contented with a spoon. In other words, perhaps our dreams are too small; our aim too low.

Why are our dreams too small and our aim too low?

Perhaps we are not aware of other possibilities. More than 25 years ago when I was working in a depressed area in Joriz, I volunteered to take charge of the Rondalla. What I did was to bring them to the CBD of Makati. Why? Because I wanted them to see that there is more out there than the sari-sari store in the street corner. I wanted them to dream of one day working in Makati and having enough money to eat there.

Perhaps we are afraid of the effort involved. You need to work hard to achieve great dreams. If you want a beautiful home, you need to work to own that beautiful home.

Perhaps we are afraid to dream big and aim high because we do not have faith in God and in ourselves. When we do not believe in our capacity to achieve our dreams, it means we do not have faith in ourselves. When we do not believe that God will help us achieve our dreams, it means we do not have faith in God. When Manny Pacquiao enters the ring and makes the sign of the cross, to me it means that he is asking God and our Blessed Mother to help him achieve his dream of winning the fight.

Life is a gift and a responsibility. Life is God’s gift to us. He gave us the chance to live. But it is also a responsibility because we need to something worthwhile with our life. Because at the end of our life we will have to present to God what we have done with out life. When the time comes, may we be able to present to him something beautiful, something we can be proud of.


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The Salesians of Don Bosco is a religious congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to the welfare of the young. If you feel called by God to give your life for the good of the young, you may want help in discovering if this is really God's will for you. Please get in touch with the Vocation Director (Don Bosco North Province, Philippines) - 0917-7930112 - finvoc@yahoo.com - Bro. MON CALLO SDB.

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores.

Lk 16:19-31

EXEGESIS

The rich man was called ‘Dives’. He was really rich because: (1) his clothing was expensive. They say that the purple dye used to color his cloth was expensive as well as the material for the cloth. (2) His meals everyday was like a feast.

Lazarus was poor and handicapped. He was probably a beggar. The Italian translation says he is a ‘mendicante’. We know he is disabled because the gospel says he is lying (not sitting) at the door of Lazarus’ house. He was probably always hungry because he was ready to eat whatever fell from the table of Dives. Dives was probably eating in the Roman way. Romans would throw whatever they did not eat under the table. Slaves would come and sweep them away. Two other details serve to show how miserable Lazarus was, were the dogs that came to lick the sores. The sight of him with sores all over his body was revolting. The dogs together with pigs were considered animals of the lowest kind.

Next comes a description of heaven and hell. Dives is suffering and Lazarus is now in comfort. How is Dives suffering? He is thirsty. He is burning in hell. Lazarus is in the bosom of Abraham. It’s like John leaning against the chest of Jesus at the Last Supper. Heaven is up and hell is down and between them is a chasm.

Dives asks Abraham to send Lazarus and warn his five brothers. But Abraham says that if they do not heed the teachings of Moses and the Prophets, that is, the Bible, they would not be converted even if Lazarus himself were to come and warn them. Is this true? Jesus rose from the dead and the majority of the Jews did not believe in him.

PROBLEM

Did Dives go to hell just because he was rich?

Remember that Jesus used parables in order to call his hearers to conversion.

The gospel of this Sunday and the gospel of last Sunday are taken from the same chapter, chapter 16 of St. Luke. The key to understanding the parable of this Sunday is found in last Sunday’s gospel. And it is this: “I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”

This requires some explaining. Dishonest wealth according to the New American Bible is how they translated the phrase "mammon of iniquity." Mammon means "that in which one trusts." When one is wealthy there is a tendency to trust not in God but in money. Why is wealth is called mammon of iniquity or dishonest wealth? Because of the tendency of money to lead one to dishonesty.

What was the advice of Jesus? Use wealth to do good. When you die, you will be welcomed to the eternal dwellings, that is, heaven.

Now we have the answer to the question: “Did Dives go to hell just because he was rich?” He went to hell not because he was rich but because he closed his heart to Lazarus who was just outside his house.


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The Salesians of Don Bosco is a religious congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to the welfare of the young. If you feel called by God to give your life for the good of the young, you may want help in discovering if this is really God's will for you. Please get in touch with the Vocation Director (Don Bosco North Province, Philippines) - 0917-7930112 - finvoc@yahoo.com - Bro. MON CALLO SDB.

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.

Lk 16:1-13

EXEGESIS

Jesus did not praise the steward for his dishonesty. He commended the steward for his prudence, for his astuteness for being smart (maabilidad; magaling.).

In one of the CEAP (Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines) conventions, the speaker spoke about the kind of Christians we need today in our country. He said that what we need are Catholics who are not only mabait (good) but also magaling (smart; astute).

If we only have people who are magaling but not mabait, what do you get? Criminals. If you go to San Francisco, one of the tourist attractions is Alcatraz. It used to be the prison for high-profile criminals. Do you know that the criminals there had high IQ’s? Those criminals are magaling but not mabait.

If we only have people who are mabait but not magaling, what do you get? People who are good and poor. If you are good, you will be hard working. But if you are not magaling, you will remain poor. I do not know if Bill Gates is mabait. But he certainly is magaling.

I will not speak about being mabait not because it is not important but because we always hear about that. I will focus on being magaling.

MAGALING

Good education + high EQ + well-developed multiple intelligence = magaling na tao

Good education

You need a good education to succeed. You need to go to a school where you will learn. When I was principal, I made it a point to include in the faculty handbook a rule about the school where the teachers can get their MA. Why? Because I discovered that some of them were going to a graduate school that you never heard of. Will I trust that school? Of course, not. Parents must, therefore, check whether their children are learning. My mother transferred my brother to another school when she discovered that he was not learning how to read there.

High EQ

I did not say high IQ. IQ means intelligence quotient. EQ means emotional intelligence. A study showed that people with high EQ are more likely to succeed than those who have merely high IQ. Let me just mention one quality of a person with a high EQ, the capacity for delayed gratification.

Delayed gratification means that a person is able to set aside what is easy and comfortable and do hard work. I read the story of a college student who got addicted to Ragnarok. He would cut classes just to go to an internet café. Instead of buying books, he would use to money to play Ragnarok. Do you think this college student will ever even finish college? Do you even think he will ever even want to work? Parents must, therefore, train their children to work hard. How? Give them responsibilities. Make sure that the responsibilities are adapted to their age. Taking out the garbage; washing the dishes; setting up the table; cleaning the house; tutoring the younger siblings are some of the responsibilities. Today we call the ability to delay gratification in order to do hard work work ethic.

I have a cousin who has been living in the States for many years. She has two jobs. One full-time. Another part-time. I have heard of some kababayans who are even taking on three jobs. I don’t know how they do it but they do.

There is one danger facing parents who started out with great difficulty. They don’t want their children to go through the same experience. What is the danger? They make life easy for their children. Why is that so bad? Because if you pamper your children, they will not develop work ethic. How will they ever succeed without work ethic?

And by the way, St. Paul said that he who does not work should not eat. In other words, St. Paul expected work ethic from Christians.

Well-developed multiple intelligence

Howard Gardner of Harvard University discovered that we possess many intelligences, not just one. In fact, at present he has already discovered eight. What is the implication of his discovery? That valedictorians and salutatorians are not the only intelligent people in the planet. That even if you do not have a high IQ (but not low IQ either), you can succeed in life. Ryan Cayabyab (musician) has a high intelligence in music. Manny Pacquiao (boxing champion) has a high body-kinesthetic intelligence. J.K. Rawlings (Harry Potter) has a high linguistic intelligence. Steve Irwin (Animal Planet) has a high naturalist intelligence. In other words, you might not be good in math and science but you can still succeed in life because your intelligence might be in other areas of life.

God gave everyone some gift or talent. You must be good at something. Find out what it is. Develop it. Use it. It’s never too late. Grandma Moses is a renowned American artist. She discovered her ability to paint late in life, when she was already a grandmother. That is why she is called Grandma Moses. For parents, it means that you must encourage and support your children to try out as many things as they are growing up so that they and you can discover together what talents and abilities God has given to them.

Good education + high EQ + well-developed multiple intelligence = magaling na tao

CONCLUSION

You might have noticed that I have talked things that are not ‘religious’. And you might have asked yourself if what you have heard is spiritually enriching.

Let me say that God is the God of our whole life. He is our God inside the church and outside the church. In other words, we need to hear things about how to live our life outside the church. Why is that? Because our life is God’s gift to us. And what we make out of that life is our gift to God.

Hopefully, the things I have said will help us make of our life a beautiful gift to God.

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The Salesians of Don Bosco is a religious congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to the welfare of the young. If you feel called by God to give your life for the good of the young, you may want help in discovering if this is really God's will for you. Please get in touch with the Vocation Director (Don Bosco North Province, Philippines) - 0917-7930112 - finvoc@yahoo.com - Bro. MON CALLO SDB.

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.

Lk 15: 1-32

EXEGESIS

Telling parables is the favorite teaching method of Jesus. A parable is a story which challenges the hearers to change.

In today’s gospel there are three parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son. The lost son is popularly called the parable of the prodigal son.

What did Jesus see in the Scribes and Pharisees that need changing? First, they had no concern for sinners. They did not want to have to do anything with sinners. Second, they were self-righteous. They saw themselves as good people needing no conversion.

In the parable of the prodigal son, the eldest son was the scribes and Pharisees. In the parable of the lost sheep, why did Jesus say that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance? Because the 99 righteous people were self-righteous people like the scribes and Pharisees. In other words, why would God be happy with people who thought of themselves so highly as to think conversion is for others and not for themselves?

LESSON 1: HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH DIFFICULT CHILDREN OR ANY DIFFICULT PERSON FOR THAT MATTER?

St. Augustine was not born a saint. In fact, he led an immoral life and had even a son out of marriage. St. Monica prayed for him for many years. When was Augustine converted? When he was already 32 years old. Pray without discouragement.

St. John Bosco counseled the same thing about pupils. One day a Salesian went to Don Bosco about a pupil who was often misbehaving in class. Don Bosco replied with a question: “But have you been praying for your pupil? Pray for those who are giving you troublesome.

Strategy no. 1 – pray for the problematic person.

Again talking about young people, St. John Bosco said that in every young person there is something within him that will enable you to capture his good will. Discover that and you will be able to win him over. Once that is done he will listen to you. If a teacher has a student who does not study his lesson and if this teacher is able to win this student, will not this student listen to his teacher when his teacher encourages him to take his studies seriously?

Strategy no. 2 – Win over the problematic person.

When I was a principal, I had this rule: mean what you say; say what you mean. How did I implement it? I told the teachers not to allow the class to enter the classroom after the second bell unless they are quiet. And if they become noisy upon entering the class, the class should go out again. They should follow this rule always. I was teaching religion to 4 senior classes. There was a time that I had to ask one class to go out of the classroom three times because some of them started talking upon entering the classroom. I meant what I said and said what I meant and that’s why there was discipline.

Strategy no. 3 – Have reasonable rules. Consistently apply the reasonable rules. Apply reasonable punishment when rules are broken. In America they call this tough love.

LESSON 2: GOD IS GOOD

While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.

Perhaps ever his son left the house, the father would look outside the window every day in the hope that on that day his son would return home. The son might not be at home. But he was always in his father’s heart.

“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ What was the father’s response? But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

This means that the father was taking him back as his son not as his servant. Servants wore no sandals. The robe but especially the ring signified his dignity as son.

Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast.

Why a feast? “In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

When the eldest son arrived and asked what all the noise was about, he was told that his younger brother had returned. His father was giving a party to celebrate his younger brother’s return.

What was the reaction of the elder brother? He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house.

What did the father do? His father came out and pleaded with him.

What I’d like to point out is what the father did for both his sons. For the younger son the father went out of the house to welcome him. For the eldest son, the father also went out of the house to plead with him to join the celebration. Why did the father behave this way? Because he loved both his sons and wanted both of them to be with him.

The parable does not say whether the elder son finally went inside the house with his father or not. And I think I know the reason why. Remember that Jesus addressed his parables to his listeners. At this moment we are his listeners. Jesus left the parable hanging because he wants us to be the ones to provide the ending. In other words, Jesus is asking us: "Will you harden your heart and remain outside? Or will you finally say yes to God?"

The ending is ours to provide. What ending will you provide?

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The Salesians of Don Bosco is a religious congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to the welfare of the young. If you feel called by God to give your life for the good of the young, you may want help in discovering if this is really God's will for you. Please get in touch with the Vocation Director (Don Bosco North Province, Philippines) - 0917-7930112 - finvoc@yahoo.com - Bro. MON CALLO SDB.

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion?

Lk 14:25-33

THE CROSS

The cross was a form capital punishment. It was a painful way to die. It was said that sometimes they had to cut off the tongue of crucified people in order to silence them. It was considered so degrading that death by crucifixion was forbidden for a Roman citizen.

Crucifixion was something that the audience of Jesus was familiar with. Josephus, the Jewish historian reports:

Following the death of Herod in 4 B.C.E. there were outbreaks of revolt throughout Judea. Varus, the Roman legate of Syria took two legions and brutally pacified the country, particularly in Galilee. “Upon this, Varus sent a part of his army into the country, to seek out those that had been the authors of the revolt; and when they were discovered, he punished some of them that were most guilty, and some he dismissed: now the number of those that were crucified on this account were two thousand.”

LESSON: COUNTING THE COST

About three years ago I joined an educational tour to Thailand and Singapore. We went to see secondary schools and universities. We also visited places of cultural interest. We were green with envy at a Marist-run school in Singapore. Because it enjoyed government support, the facilities were simply fantastic. I particularly admired their computer labs. We planned for another educational tour in three years’ time. But when the exchange rate dropped to 60 to a dollar, we abandoned the idea altogether. We counted the cost and we decided that many would not be able to afford it.

About ten years ago, the World Youth Day was to be celebrated. The seminarians in our seminary were allowed to go if they want to. A seminarian decided to join this celebration. But the problem was money. He counted the cost. The problem was the money. Where would he get it? His parents couldn’t afford it. Did he give up? No. He thought of ways to raise the money. One of the things he did was to go to our religious communities and seek financial support. He succeeded in raising the required amount and joined the World Youth Day. He counted the cost and found out he couldn’t afford it. But he did not give up. He undertook several fund raising activities and was able to meet the cost.

Counting the cost and meeting the cost is not just about money.

It is taking important things in life serously. Take marriage, for example. I used to hear the old folks say thing about marriage: “It’s not like eating a handful of rice and when you find out it’s hot you, vomit it out of your mouth.” Marriage is something important and because it is important you take it seriously.

Let’s count the cost of marriage.

Can you give up your freedom and independence? When you are single, you base your decision on how that decision will affect you. When you are married and have a family, you’ll have to take into consideration how your decisions and actions will affect your spouse and children. We had a driver who used to drive to the point of recklessness at times. But when he got married and had children, he became more careful. He explained that he still had children to raise.

Pinagsawaan mo na ba ang iyong pagka-binata o pagka-dalaga? When you are young and single, you can spend many hours with your barkada. But when you are married, you can’t be with your barkada as often and as long as you like. I remember a young mother carrying her sick child to a basketball league. She was looking for her husband. And rightly so. He was already a father. His child was very sick. His place was not among his barkada enjoying a basketball competition. His place was with his child. He should probably have already brought his child to the hospital.

Like marriage, religious life and priesthood is important and because it is important you take it seriously. Let’s count the cost of priesthood and religious life.

When I was in fourth grade I remember I and my friend talking about what we would want to become when we grew up. I don’t remember anymore what he said. But I distinctly remember answering that I wanted to become a priest or an astronomer. I was fascinated by the stars and the galaxies. I still am. Becoming a priest meant giving up that dream of becoming an astronomer. Someone may say becoming an astronomer is just a child’s dream. It’s never meant to become a reality. Still, becoming a priest meant giving up other possibilities in life, including astronomy. I counted the cost. I willingly paid the price. I have become a priest. I still am and hope to remain one until my death.

The Christian life of a layman and a laywoman is important, too. And because it is important you have to take it seriously. Let’s count the cost of living one’s faith today.

One of the items that Filipinos abroad spend much on is phone bills. This is easy to understand. As a people our happiness does not lie on material things. Our happiness lies in the midst of our family and friends. Family and friends are important. That is why we feel the need of keeping in touch with our family and friends. And that is why we are willing to spend so much money on overseas telephone calls and text messages.

If God is important to us, then we need to keep in touch with him. If God is important to us, then we are willing to pay the price of keeping in touch. What is the price of keeping in touch?

First, are you willing to give your time to God in prayer? I am not only talking about giving time to Sunday Mass. I am talking about dedicating some time to prayer. And by prayer, I do not primarily mean asking God for our needs. I am talking about sharing what is in your heart and what is in your mind with him. And regarding time, I am talking about 10 minutes a day.

Second, are you willing to buy a bible or at least the New Testament and then during your daily prayer time, spend 5 minutes in reading God’s word and then the next 5 minutes to talking to God?

The cost of living one’s faith today is not limited to giving time to prayer. There are many more things. But if we are unable to give just 10 minutes of our time to read his Word and to pray to him, will we be able to do other things for him which are more difficult?


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The Salesians of Don Bosco is a religious congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to the welfare of the young. If you feel called by God to give your life for the good of the young, you may want help in discovering if this is really God's will for you. Please get in touch with the Vocation Director (Don Bosco North Province, Philippines) - 0917-7930112 - finvoc@yahoo.com - Bro. MON CALLO SDB.

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees.

Lk 14:1, 7-14

PARABLES

Parables are stories with a lesson. Jesus loved to tell parables. They are his favorite teaching technique. The target of parables is the audience. Through the parable Jesus challenges the audience to examine their behavior, their beliefs and their attitudes. In this particular instance, Jesus points out to his audience their obsession with taking the places of honor and invites them to do away with that obsession.

PHARISEE

Jesus had become a celebrity. And people want celebrities in their parties. Celebrities are also objects of attention. But in the case of Jesus the reason why they watched him closely was to be able to catch him do or say something that they could use against him.

HYPERBOLE

Jesus also uses hyperbole as a teaching methodology. A hyperbole is an exaggeration used to drive home a point or teach a lesson. For example, a boy broke the mother’s favorite vase. The mother tells the boy: “I’ve told you a million times not to touch that vase.” Million times is a hyperbole, an exaggeration. The point is that the boy has been told many times not to touch the vase.

The teaching of Jesus, “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter heaven blind in one eye than to go to hell with both eyes” is a hyperbole. The point of Jesus is that no sacrifice is too great if it will help you go to heaven.

What is the point of Jesus when he said: “When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous”? Use your money to do something good for those in need and are not in a position to do something in return. God will not forget that. It will not go unrewarded.

EATING - KAINAN AT HANDAAN

My reflection this Sunday takes its inspiration from eating. I will cite the different occasions when we eat and draw some reminders from them.

Wedding reception

The wedding reception is a time of joy. The newly married couple are with their families, relatives and friends. But will the joy last? Will the marriage last?

I have read the following pieces of advice which I give to those I prepare for marriage.
• Don’t marry someone you can’t live without. Marry someone you can live with.
• The wedding is not the end. It is the beginning of another chapter when the couple learns how to be a good husband and wife and how to be good parents.
• Unity candle. Every wedding anniversary light the unity candle and renew your marriage vows before God. At difficult times light the unity candle and pray to God for assistance.

Passing the board

I keep a blog at blogspot and multiply. One of my contacts wrote that his kuya passed the board exams for nurses. That, he said, calls for a celebration.

I remember my aunt preparing for her board exams as a CPA. She would go to Baclaran every Wednesday and study for weeks. She passed the board. Later she went back to Baclaran for a thanksgiving Mass.

Do we remember to say thank you to God for answered prayers? Do we say thank you to one another? In Italian and Pilipino, it just takes one word: grazie or salamat. Or even just two letters, TY.

Birthday

I was scanning the pictures in my album. I came across my birthday pictures when I was perhaps 2 or 3 years old. One of the pictures was of me blowing the candles. I love birthdays because of the food, the gifts and the guests.

I learned about a different way of celebrating a birthday. The parents organized their son’s birthday celebration among orphans. An executive of Pru Life celebrated her 40th birthday by offering to pay for the board and lodging of a seminarian. You celebrate your life by sharing the blessings of life.

A beautiful custom that should not be forgotten is to go for Mass. It is a way of saying thank you to God for the year that was and also of asking for his blessing for the year that will be.

Christmas and New Year

I will never forget the Noche Buena and the Media Noche. My favourite food were the halaya, castanas, Chinese ham, imbutido and puchero. But what is it that makes the Noche Buena and Media Noche important? Not the food. It is the presence of the ones you love. I think that is the reason why I have heard that when Christmas comes men in Saudi would cry. They miss their loved ones.

Regarding family relationships, St. John Bosco reminds parents that it is not enough for you to love your children. They must feel that you love them.

The economic situation in the country has forced 8 million Filipinos out of the country. The remittances of overseas Filipinos have kept our country afloat. But the price has been too steep. Marriages have failed. Children have become problematic at home and at school. The problem is complicated. There are no easy answers. But something must be done.

Outing

One of the things we do during summer is to go for an outing. Summer is the peak season for beach resorts and swimming pools. And when there’s an outing, there will always be food, lots of food. We eat on the way. We eat upon arrival. We eat on the way back. Swimming and eating make up the fun.

To be happy and to have fun is important. Happy people live longer. Happy people get well faster. It feels good to be with happy people.

Have you ever seen in some offices the poster of a gorilla with the words, bawal ang nakasimangot? Unhappy people spread gloom in the room.

But happiness is also important for the spiritual life. St. John Bosco used to say, sin and gloom out of my room. He also said, “Jump, run, make noise (that is, have fund). But do not sin.” Two values that he inculcated were joy and optimism.

Why is happiness important for the spiritual life? St. Thomas Aquinas taught that it is very difficult for the devil to take possession of the heart of someone who is happy. How true!

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The Salesians of Don Bosco is a religious congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to the welfare of the young. If you feel called by God to give your life for the good of the young, you may want help in discovering if this is really God's will for you. Please get in touch with the Vocation Director (Don Bosco North Province, Philippines) - 0917-7930112 - finvoc@yahoo.com - Bro. MON CALLO SDB.

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Strive to enter through the narrow gate.

Lk 13:22-30

EXEGESIS

Jerusalem

Luke’s gospel has a framework which I call “Trip to Jerusalem”, that is, he tells his gospel story with Jesus moving towards Jerusalem where he will meet this death. This means that he was not forced to die. He willingly met his death in obedience to the Father’s will. And that was why he came. He came to die so that we might be saved. And that was also the reason why he was given the name of Jesus. The angel Gabriel said: “Because he will save his people from their sins.”

Jesus is called “Redeemer” or “Manunubos”. Sometimes when people are hard up they are forced to pawn jewelry, even those with sentimental value. Later they return to the pawnshop to redeem or “tubusin” that piece of jewelry. When we sin, Jesus comes to redeem us (tubusin) from the power of the devil. And the price is his obedience until death.

Saved

The Jews (at least in the time of Jesus) believed that only Jews will be saved. Some even went as far as to think that hell was created for non-Jews.

I had a relative who used to be a Methodist but turned Baptist. One day she asked me a question that no one ever asked me before: “Are you saved?” I answered, “Not yet”. But Baptists teach that once you accept Jesus as Lord, you are already saved. I read an article in the Catholic Digest that says that the answer of Catholics is this: “Yes, I am saved because Jesus already died for me. But I am also in the process of being saved by Jesus because I am still here on earth. And I hope to be saved and go to heaven when I die.”

Door / Gate

Remember when you had to go to the toilet of an airplane? The door is so narrow and the space is so cramped that it takes some effort to get in and do your thing.

It is true that Jesus already paid the price of our redemption. But it is also true that God who created us without our cooperation can not save us without our co-operation. We also need to do our part and it is not always easy.

Antonio Bernardo used to be the Customs Bureau chief. Once he told us that even before he sat in his office he was already receiving thick envelopes. He asked us to pray for him because the temptation was so great. It is not easy to be faithful to God’s commandments. We need sipag at tiyaga.

SIPAG AT TIYAGA (HARDWORK AND PERSEVERANCE)

We have heard of the saying: Kung may tiyaga, may nilaga. Or kung may sipag at tiyaga, may nilaga. My brother is working in the US. Last year he brought his family along. His life in US is tough. He works for a programming company. He has a salary enough to survive. He has two children in elementary grade. His wife can’t work because her visa doesn’t allow her to work and even if she can work there are too many applicants. When he started looking for a job, he sent out his resume to many companies. One company called for him. The job was to clean the theater after every show. He was willing to take that job only another company offered him a job that was along his line. I know that my brother would make it in the US not only because he is intelligent and he has sipag at tiyaga.

I was riding a taxi once in the Philippines. The man had children in college. One thing he told me: “Huwag ka lang tatamad-tamad hindi ka magugutom sa Pilipinas.”

Warren Buffett is worth $52 billion. He is the third richest man in the world after Bill Gates and the Mexican, Carlos Helu. He is giving about $30 billion to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. His business is in investments. How did he get so rich? He studied hard as a student. He worked hard. Forbes magazine said that he used to spend hours studying financial statements of companies in order to find out in which companies to invest in. Warren Buffett has sipag at tiyaga.

Filipinos like you who are working abroad succeed because of abilidad and sipag at tiyaga. I know of a man now working in Ireland. Do you know that he owns two houses now? He is renting out his first house.

But there is danger in success. I heard the ASEAN manager of Johnson and Johnson say that he doesn’t want his children to experience the hardships he went through when his father died. At the time he was in college. He had other brothers and sisters who were also studying. Being the eldest, he became a working stu-dent. He said that he didn’t want his children to go through the same experience. I would understand that but he shouldn’t make life to easy for his children because if he does that his children will not develop sipag at tiyaga.

For example, I read about a wealthy family. His two sons were studying in an well-known university. Yet he refused to buy them a car each even though he could afford them. Why? Because he didn’t want too easy a life for them. He wanted them to develop sipag at tiyaga.

Sipag at tiyaga is also a good rule for the spiritual life. Someone said that saints are sinners who kept on trying. Saints and we are both sinners. The only difference is that they had sipag at tiyaga in trying to be good. St. John Bosco himself said that he had to work hard to put his tempter under control.

Among the Saints there are those we call martyrs and those we call confessors. martyrs die or the faith. Confessors profess the faith by living it. It is said that what confessors lack in intensity, they make up for endurance. St. Dominic did not die a martyr’s death like St. Tarcisius. But he became a Saint by living his faith day by day. He was not ningas cugon. May tiyaga siya.

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The Salesians of Don Bosco is a religious congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to the welfare of the young. If you feel called by God to give your life for the good of the young, you may want help in discovering if this is really God's will for you. Please get in touch with the Vocation Director (Don Bosco North Province, Philippines) - 0917-7930112 - finvoc@yahoo.com - Bro. MON CALLO SDB.

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect,
the Son of Man will come.”

Lk 12:32-48

Last July 20 (?) we recalled the terrible earthquake of 1990 (?). I remember being in a car at the intersection of Ayala Avenue and EDSA. We were waiting for the traffic light to turn green. Along the way we noticed a lot of people were on the streets. That was strange. When we arrived home, to our dismay we saw furniture and cabinets in disarray. What happened? We learned soon enough about the earth-quake that had struck which we did not feel. We also learned later that the Hyatt and Nevada Hotels crumbled to the ground. The wife of Jaime Laya died, but Senator Roco's wife survived. She was under the rubbles of Nevada Hotel for 36 hours.

Because of that terrible tragedy schools were ordered to organize evacuation drills. We live in what is called the ring of fire. Earthquake and volcanic eruption is common in this part of the world. In order to minimize the loss of human life in the event of another killer earthquake, students and school personnel must be ready. They must be prepared.

Preparedness requires planning and foresight.

If you own a family business, you know that you will not live forever. You have to prepare for your exit. Do you want your children take over? Will any of them be willing and competent to take over the family business?

Bawal magkasakit. It’s expensive. Will you enroll in one of the HMO’s?

Death strikes unexpectedly. What will happen to your spouse and children? Will you buy an insurance policy? Will you buy a life plan?

With the birth of a child, you will have to plan ahead for his education. Will you buy an educational plan for him?

Opportunity knocks on the door of those who are prepared. What is your dream? What is your ambition in life? Do you already have a plan how to get there? Was it PGMA who observed that after the May elections, the campaign for the Presidency which is still in 2010 has already begun? And perhaps that is why the alliances for the May elections have crumbled and new ones are being formed. You just have to look at the Senate.

Preparedness requires planning and foresight.

I have said that death sometimes come unexpectedly. Are we ready to meet our God?

St. Aloysius Gonzaga was with a group of friends. One of them asked, “If you were to die today, what would you do?” Some said that they will go to confession. Some said that they will go to church and pray. Others said that they will say good-bye to their loved ones. St. Aloysius Gonzaga said, “I will do what I ordinarily do everyday.” He was prepared to meet death.

But not all of us are ready to face death today.

When I was in the minor seminary, we had what we used to call the monthly exercise for a happy death. It was a monthly preparation for death. We had to put our places in the study hall and in the dormitory in order. We had to return the things we borrowed. And we were encouraged to make our confession as if it were our last. Making sure we were at peace with God was an important part of that monthly exercise.

But making peace with God may not be enough. Consider this true to life story.

A man all his life was craving for his father’s blessing. He needed to hear that his father loved him. He needed to hear his father’s approval, that his father was proud of him. His father was the type who didn’t say much and seemed to be uncomfortable about showing his feelings. Then one day his father who was already ill called for him in the hospital. When the son entered the room, the face of the father brightened up. The father told his son to pull the chair close to his bed and sit down. The father held his son’s hand in a way he never did before. Father looked with tenderness at his son. Tears started to fall down from the father’s eyes. With great emotion, the father said, “Anak, I am happy to have you as my son. And I want you to know how proud I am of you.” It was the turn of the son to cry. Maybe for the first time since he was a child, he hugged his father.

Perhaps, making peace with God is not enough preparation for death. Maybe we need to deal with some issues affecting our relationships. And maybe we don’t need to wait for death to deal with those issues and put them to rest.

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The Salesians of Don Bosco is a religious congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to the welfare of the young. If you feel called by God to give your life for the good of the young, you may want help in discovering if this is really God's will for you. Please get in touch with the Vocation Director (Don Bosco North Province, Philippines) - 0917-7930112 - finvoc@yahoo.com - Bro. MON CALLO SDB.

Death Gives Birth to Life

Scene 1

Voldemort had raised his wand. His head was stilted to one side, like a curious child, wondering what would happen if he proceeded. Harry looked back into the red eyes, and wanted it to happen now, quickly, while he could still stand, before he lost control, before he betrayed fear—

He saw the mouth move and a flash of green light, and everything was gone.

Scene 2

“But you’re dead,” said Harry.

“Oh yes,” said Dumbledore matter-of-factly.

“Then….I’m dead too?”

“Ah,” said Dumbledore, smiling still more broadly. “That is the question, isn’t it? On the whole, dear boy, I think not.”

They looked at each other, the old man still beaming.

“Not?” repeated Harry.

“Not,” said Dumbledore.

“But…but I should have died – I didn’t defend myself! I meant to let him kill me!”

“And that,” said Dumbledore, “will, I think, have made all the difference.”

“But you want me to go back?”

“I think,” said Dumbledore, “that if you choose to return, there is a chance that he may be finished for good.”

Harry nodded and sighed.

Scene 3

Harry heard the high voice shriek as he too yelled his best hope to the heavens, pointing Draco’s wand:

“Avada Kedavra!”

“Expelliarmus!”

The spells collided. Harry saw Voldemort’s green jet meet his own spell. Voldemort fell backward, arms played, the slit pupil of the scarlet eyes rolling upward. Tom Riddle hit the floor with mundane finality, his body feeble and shrunken, the white hands empty; the snakelike face vacant and unknowing. Voldemort was dead, killed by his own rebounding curse, and Harry stood with two wands in his hand, staring down at his enemy’s shell.

REFLECTION

I couldn't help but think that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is but a reprise of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ in the garb of wizards and witches.

Harry's death brought him life and ultimately a second leash on life for the Hogwarts and for all that was good. It brought death to Voldemort and his cohorts.

The Death of Jesus Christ brought life to the world.

How paradoxical! Death gives birth to life!

It is the law of life. For only when the seed falls to the ground and dies will there be new life sprouting from the ground. Only when we put to "death" traumatic experiences can we move on with our life.

It is the law of the spiritual life. Only when we put to death our evil desires is there the possibility of the good that is in us to come out into the light.

Death gives birth to life.

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.

Lk 12:13-21

EXEGESIS

Ecclesiastes

The title of the book is Ecclesiastes. Another name for the book is Qoheleth, the author of the book. It belongs to the group of books called the Wisdom Books. There is another book belonging to the Wisdom Books which is called the Book of Sirach. Again the name comes from the author. The book has also another name, Ecclesiasticus. Do not confuse them.

The often repeated word in the reading is vanity. What does it mean? Empty. Worthless. Useless. Qoheleth says that you worked hard to gain property but when you die you can not take it with you. Someone who has not worked for it will enjoy it. So your effort has been empty, worthless, useless. Your effort has been in vain.

Gospel

The gospel for this Sunday offers us three nuggets of wisdom.

• Take care to guard against all greed.
• Though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.
• Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.

It has a timely reminder to parents. A man came to Jesus because his brother wouldn’t share their inheritance with him. Dear parents, you will prevent animosity among your children if you make your will. If you die without a will, your children might fight over inheritance.

CONNECTION BETWEEN FIRST READING AND GOSPEL

Gospel – “You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?”

First reading – “Here is one who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill, and yet to another who has not labored over it, he must leave is property. This also is vanity and a great misfortune.”

LESSON: WEALTH

How does the OT look at wealth and poverty?

Wealth is a sign of being blessed by God while poverty is looked upon as punishment from God.

Job, for example, lost his children, wealth and last of all, his health. His friends came to console him. But they also said that he was being punished for his sins. But Job asserted that he knows of no transgressions that would merit punishment. With the Book of Job the belief that poverty and misfortune are punishment for sin is challenged.

What does the NT say about wealth?

Jesus uttered strong words about wealth. He said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for the rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.”

St. Paul says that the desire for money is the root of all evil.

It is easy to understand these strong statements. Wealth can make people commit evil. The money from quarrying obtained in one year by the provincial government of Pampanga during the tenure of the previous governor is now obtained in only one month. There must have been stealing going on. Wealth can make people commit evil.

Wealth can make even good people forget God. A former seminarian admitted that when he left the seminary money became his concern. He wanted to become rich. But in the process, he put God in the sideline. It was only when he became seriously ill with a life-threatening condition that he realized what happened to him. It was as if when he left the seminary, he also left God behind. He survived the illness and God is once again in his mind. Wealth can make even good people forget God.

Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘treasure’? Probably a wooden chest with gold or jewels inside.

But let us use treasure in this sense: “What is it that you treasure most?” Another way of putting it is: “What is it that you VALUE most?” Or this, “What is most IMPORTANT to you?”

Is money important? Of course it is. I read an article about a girl of elementary-age who got burned when she rescued her 2 younger siblings from their burning hut. They were far away from the town but the mother brought her there medical treatment. The only thing the mother was willing to spend for was first aid. The mother was not being cruel. She said that she also had to think of the other 2 children. Would the mother be faced with this dilemma if she had the money? Is money important? Of course it is.

So what is the problem?

Is God important? Yes. Is your family important? Yes. Are your friends important? Yes. Is your health important? Yes. Are your ethical principles important? Yes. Is money important? Yes.

So what is the problem?

Put money in the number 1 spot. By doing that you’re willing to throw overboard your ethical principles for the sake of money. You’ll be willing to sacrifice your family and friends for the sake of money. You’ll be willing to risk your marriage for the sake of money. Do you now see what the problem is?

It is not that wealth is bad. It is not that wealth is not important. The problem comes when wealth takes number one spot. The problem comes when our priorities in life go wrong.

CONCLUSION

This Sunday God is asking us to do an inventory. First, he is asks us to find out what are the things we value I life. And when that is done, he asks us to examine how we prioritize the things we value in life. In particular he asks us to find out where we have placed wealth in the scheme of things.

What we will discover may surprise us. But more than that, the changes that we may have to make in our life may in the end make us happier and more fulfilled.

Do it then. It’s worth the effort. You’ll see.

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The Salesians of Don Bosco is a religious congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to the welfare of the young. If you feel called by God to give your life for the good of the young, you may want help in discovering if this is really God's will for you. Please get in touch with the Vocation Director (Don Bosco North Province, Philippines) - 0917-7930112 - finvoc@yahoo.com - Bro. MON CALLO SDB.

First Friday, Week 17

And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

There is a saying that goes this way: “No one is a saint to one’s valet.” The valet is a man's male servant, who takes care of his clothes and performs other personal services. In other words, ‘alalay’ siya. The valet is so close to his master that he knows many things about him, including his defects. Therefore, there is a tendency for the valet not to look up to his master with admiration.

In the case of Jesus, his town mates know about his family background. His father was merely a carpenter. His mother had no social standing in the community. Jesus himself was not taught by any outstanding religious teacher. So his town mates looked down on him and did not put much faith in him.

The result according to the Gospel was that he did not work many miracles there. What does that mean? It means that since his town mates did not believe in him, only a few brought their sick to him and consequently only a few were healed.

This means that it is not God who limits the good that he wants to do for us. It is our faith or lack of it that sets the limits. It’s like God is ready to give us his blessings. But unless our hands are open to receive it, he can not give it to us.

So what is it that will make us open our hands to receive the good things that come from the hand of God?

1. We must believe in our hearts that God is good. Only then will we have the confidence to go to him to receive his blessings. If you have a difficult boss, will you find it easy to go to him?

We might think that it is easy to see God as good. But it’s not. A man came to me because his bunso, still a baby, died in spite of the efforts of the hospital. He admits that he has committed many sins in his life. And he asks, “Why did he punish my child? I should be the one he punished.” Do you think it’s easy for this man to believe that God is good?

But faith in the goodness of God means precisely this: to believe that God is good even when things do not seem to show that God is good.

So what is it that will make us open our hands to receive the good things that come from the hand of God?

2. We must believe in our hearts that God is powerful. If he is powerful, then he can help us. Will you go to someone who can not help you? A long, long time ago I asked my classmate to get me an appointment with the mayor of Paranaque. We know he was the big boss and he can help us.

Some people will find it difficult to believe God is powerful. The common objection is this: If God is so powerful, why is there evil in the world? If God is so powerful, why did he not prevent my mother from dying of cancer?

But to believe in the power of God means precisely this: that God can bring good out of evil; that no matter what happens, he can make things turn out well for you.

So what is it that will make us open our hands to receive the good things that come from the hand of God?

3. We must pray for faith. We must know that faith is a gift. We can not give our faith in God unless God gives us the gift of faith. Therefore, we must pray for it.

When a man brought his son to Jesus for healing, Jesus asked the father, “Do you believe I can cure him?” The man answered, “Lord, I do believe. Help my unbelief.” In other words, the man admitted that his faith was not enough and so asked Jesus to add to his faith. Did Jesus give him that faith? Certainly. How do we know? Jesus was able to cure his son.

When Don Bosco was at his deathbed, he said in regret, “If only I had more faith, I could have done more.” And he was right. For faith is opening our hands believing that God will fill our hands with good things.

Monday, 17th Week

SIN

So Moses went back to the Lord and said,”Ah, this people has indeed committed a grave sin in making a god of gold for themselves. If you would only forgive their sin!”

INTRODUCTION

Man fell into a hole. He couldn't get out because it was slippery. So he started to cry for help. Good thing a man was passing by and heard him. The man looked down at the hole. Since there was no rope or wood around, he fell flat on his stomach and extended his hand to the man in the hole. The man lost no time in grabbing the hand of the passerby. With a bit of effort, he was able to get out of the hole. Grateful for having been rescued, he invited his savior for dinner.

SIN

This story is also our story. We fell into the hole of sin. We couldn't get out by ourselves. Somebody had to come and save us. We needed a savior. And that savior was Jesus Christ.

But take note. The rescuer came but for the man to get out of the hole, he had to grab the hand of the rescuer. Jesus has come into the world. He has offered and continues to offer his hand. But until we take his hand, he can not save us.

What does it mean to take the hand of Jesus?

1. We have to be sorry. But it is not enough to be sorry because what we did was wrong. It is not enough to be sorry because our sin has hurt people. We have to be sorry because we sinned against God.
When David sinned by committing adultery with Bathsheeba and then having Uriah, the husband killed in battle, Nathan confronted him David’s immediate response was not “I have sinned against God!”

2. We have to confess our sins. Confessing our sins means owning them. It means taking responsibility for our sins. Kailangang aminin natin ang ating mga kasalanan. It means bringing them to a priest in the sacrament of reconciliation. On the evening of Easter Sunday, Jesus said, “Whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven them. Whose sins you retain, they are retained.”

3. We need to do reparation. In my ministry as a confessor, when a daughter or son confesses having sinned against his or her parent, the penance I would give is: Do something to make your mom or your dad happy. Why this penance? I use algebra to explain why. (-1) + (+ 1)= 0. That is, (-1) means you did wrong. (+1) means you do something good to make up for the wrong that you did. That way you cancel it out. In other words, you made up for the bad that you did by doing something good.

4. We need to avoid sin. When a woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus, he saved the woman from the penalty of stoning to death. But before sending her home, Jesus told her, “From now on do not commit this sin.” We need to take steps to avoid the occasion of sin. If you realize that people you hang out with are a BI to you, you need to split with them.

CONCLUSION

But what if I commit the same sin again? A High school student once told me that he doesn't dare to go to confession again. It’s not that he doesn’t want to confess his sins. But he said that he promised God so many times to avoid his sins but he ends up doing them again. Nahihiya na siya sa Diyos.

When we sin, we separate ourselves from God. When we repent, we return to God. Which would make God happier? That we stay away? Certainly not!

No matter what we did. No matter how long we stayed away from him. God would be happiest when like the Prodigal Son, we return home to the Father.

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray….”

Lk 11:1-13

THEME

I was with a group of teachers on an educational and cultural tour in Thailand. We were at the ‘klongs’ that morning. Klongs are the canals where tourists go to buy souvenirs as well as food. The teachers were haggling with the vendors. Their principle was: your starting price for haggling is one-half the stated price. In the course of the negotiations, a vendor asked: “From the Philippines?” It seems that Filipino tourists are known for haggling in order to get a good price.

What we have in the first reading is Abraham haggling with Yahweh. He suc-ceeded in lowering the required number of good men from 50 to 10.

The first reading is usually chosen because it is related to the Gospel. Where is the point of contact? “I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.” The point of contact is the persistence of Abraham and the persistence of the neighbor. Both illustrate persistence and perseverance in prayer of petition which is the theme of this Sunday’s Gospel.

EXEGESIS

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray….”

I think that this disciple was so touched and inspired when he saw Jesus praying to his Father in heaven that he was moved to asked to be taught how to pray. This led to Jesus teaching us the “Our Father”.

There are two versions of this prayer. The other one is in Matthew. The version of Matthew is longer and more formal because it came to be used as a liturgical prayer. And that is why it is his version that we use at Mass. Luke’s version is shorter and that is why scholars say that Luke’s Our Father is probably closer to the original.

What is the source of our confidence that God will hear us?

What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?

Matthew’s version if probably the original: “If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.”

Father

The Aramaic is ‘Abba’. And abba is how you call your father. In our culture it might be translated as daddy, dad, papa, pa, tay, itay and tatang.

I propose an experiment. For a whole week when you pray, instead of addressing God as God, Lord, or Father, use the term for your father. I do that. Iba ang dating. Feeling ko mas close. A word of caution. If you have a difficult relationship with your father, this might not work. But give it a try anyway.

Hallowed be your name.

In the bible the name is the person. I would paraphrase it in this way: May you (God) be given reverence.

Blasphemy is not giving God the reverence that he has a right to. I never un-derstood what blasphemy meant. And I think it is because Filipinos don’t blaspheme God. I finally understood what blasphemy meant until someone said that "xxxxx" blaspheme a lot. And he gave this example: Porco Dio! Translation: God, you’re a pig!

Your kingdom come.

The Jews avoid using the name of God. Hence, the use of the term ‘kingdom’. Kingdom should really read: Kingdom of God or reign of God. I would paraphrase this as: May all people welcome you into their hearts.

When I bless homes, offices and cars, I always remind the people that this ritual means that you are asking God to be present in your home, in your office or in your car. Then I add: “But you can not have God in your home, in your office or in your car, if you have not first of all welcomed him into your lives.”

Daily bread

“Why not monthly? Or weekly? Why daily bread” a pupil asked. His teacher answered, “Because in those days they didn’t have refrigerators yet.”

The NAB (New American Bible) says that the word used for daily could also be translated as future bread. In this case, what is being prayed for is the definitive coming of the kingdom which is often portrayed as a banquet.

It is interesting to know that early Christian literature interprets the daily bread as the Eucharist.

Forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us.

Once Don (St. John) Bosco had to intervene when two boys starting fighting in the playground. He tried to make the two reconcile. One was agreeable to it. The other was not. Later he invited this boy to come with him. They passed by the chapel. They started to pray the Our Father. But when they came to the words “Forgive us our sins”, he turned to the boy and said you can’t say those words because you are unwilling to forgive your schoolmate.

And do not subject us to the final test.

The NAB says: Jewish apocalyptic writings speak of a period of severe trial before the end of the age (end of the world), sometimes called the "messianic woes." This petition asks that the disciples be spared that final test.

TWO OBSERVATIONS

First observation. The first part of the Our Father is regarding God. The second part is regarding us.

Second observation. What pertains to God is shorter than what pertains to us. What pertains to God is in one verse while what pertains to us is in two verses.

The same observations can be said about the Ten Commandments. The first part is for God and consists of three commandments. The second part is for man and consists of seven commandments.

CONCLUSION

Let me end by going back to the First Reading and getting some lesson from that, too.
In those days, the LORD said: “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave, that I must go down and see whether or not their actions fully correspond to the cry against them that comes to me. I mean to find out.”

What is the important lesson? Don’t immediately believe in hearsay. Don’t act on hearsay. Verify. Many conflicts can be avoided, if we just take the trouble of finding out first whether what was told to us is true or not.

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The Salesians of Don Bosco is a religious congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to the welfare of the young. If you feel called by God to give your life for the good of the young, you may want help in discovering if this is really God's will for you. Please get in touch with the Vocation Director (Don Bosco North Province, Philippines) - 0917-7930112 - finvoc@yahoo.com - Bro. MON CALLO SDB.