12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

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


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

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

There is a lesson for parents to be found here.

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

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

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

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

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

Introduction

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

Real Presence

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

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

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

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

Implications

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

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

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

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

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

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

Conclusion

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

Trinity Sunday (B)

One God in Three Divine Persons

Introduction

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

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

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

The Trinity

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

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

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

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

The Mystery

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

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

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

The Dogma

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

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

Conclusion

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

Pentecost (B)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Private Pentecost

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

Public Pentecost

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

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

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

LESSON

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

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

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

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

Ascension

So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,was taken up into heaven (Mk 16:15-20).

Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.

This is called "missio ad gentes". The Franciscans, Dominicans, and Agustinians brought the Gospel to these islands (the modern-day Philippines). They were chaplains to the Spanish conquistadores and missionaries to the natives. Today Filipinos have become missionaries. Filipino Salesians, for example, are in Papua New Guinea, Cambodia, Thailand, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Taiwan.

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Faith and baptism leads to heaven. Unbelief leads to hell.

But what are we to believe in? The Good News. What is the Good News? For God so loved the world that he sent his only Son so that those who believe in him may not perish but have everlasting life.

Baptism is a necessary sacrament. It is not optional. Perhaps this is why it is the easiest to administer/celebrate. You need water. Water is plentiful on earth. Anyone can administer it, even an unbeliever, provided his intention is to administer it according to the intention of the Church. The words are easy to recall: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

These signs will accompany those who believe....

These signs are miracles. Miracles are said to be events that defy the law of nature.

Acts 20:9 reports that "a young man named Eutychus who was sitting on the window sill was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. Once overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and when he was picked up, he was dead." But St. Paul raised him to life.

St. John Bosco was a miracle worker. Among his "minor" miracles was the multiplication of sacred hosts and chestnuts.

Some people have the gift of healing. Fr. Corsie Legaspi is one of them. I heard the testimony of a young man who was a member of a boy band. Fr. Corsie healed him of cancer.

Lessons

So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.

A priest was once giving a homily in a children's Mass. He asked the children who among them wanted to go to heaven. All raised their hands. He then asked them how you get to heaven. One answered, "By being good." The priest said: "No." Another said: "By being obedient to your parents." The priest said: "No." No one seemed to be able to give the right answer. In the end, the priest had to answer his own question. "In order to get to heaven, you must die." If you think about it, he's right.

But of course, it's not enough that you die. You have also to make sure that you are dead to sin, too. As St. Paul said: "As to his death, he (Jesus) died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as (being) dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The solemnity of the ascension reminds us that there is heaven. But to get to heaven, we need to die to sin. That is not an easy thing to do. For it is a daily struggle. But we are not alone. In Christ Jesus, our Lord, we can do everything.

6th Sunday of Easter (B)

Love one another as I love you. (Jn 15:9-17)

A priest shared this story of their theology days (that period prior to ordination when they studied theology). One of the subjects was moral theology (the study of Christian morality).

For their finals their professor was going to give them only one question. If they answered it correctly, they would get 100. Otherwise, they would get 0. Examination for moral theology came. They received one question: What was the command of Jesus concerning love?

The day after they received their papers. Some received 0. Others, 100. They looked at the papers marked 0. The answer was: Love one another. They looked at the papers marked 100. Their answer? Love one another as I have loved you.

TRUE STORY

Mother is always there when you need her. She helps, protects, listens, advises and nurtures phyiscally and morally. She makes sure that her family is loved 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. At least that's how I remember my mother, for the few precious years I awas blessed to have her. But no words can describe the sacrifice she made out of love for me, her young son.

I was 19 years old, and I was being taken to a concentration camp with a large group of other Jews. It was clear that we were destined to die. Suddenly my mother stepped in and traded places with me. And although it was more than 50 years ago, I will never forget her last words to me and her good-bye look.

"I have lived long enough. You have to survive because you are so young," she said.

Most kids are born only once. I was given birth twice - by the same mother.

CONCLUSION

Love one another as I have loved you. How did Jesus love us? He gave his life for us. How should we love one another? Even to the extent of being ready to give our life.

Yet the time when we might be called to sacrifice our life for the one we love may never come. But the opportunity to spend our life for the good of the ones we love will always be there.

For families, I offer two practical ways of living our lives in ways that speak of love. First, of being understanding and forgiving toward one another. And second, of being thoughtful and considerate toward one another.

The Da Vinci Code...for the nth time

In the midst of insanity, something for those who wish for a sane discussion of the issue

FROM CNN

url is http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/01/
decoding.davinci.ap/index.html

A line from Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" tells you why it's easily the most disputed religious novel of all time: "Almost everything our fathers taught us about Christ is false."

With 46 million copies in print, "Da Vinci" has long been a headache for Christian scholars and historians, who are worried about the influence on the faith from a single source they regard as wrong-headed.

Now the controversy seems headed for a crescendo with the release of the movie version of "Da Vinci" May 17-19 around the world. Believers have released an extraordinary flood of material criticizing the story — books, tracts, lectures and Internet sites among them. The conservative Roman Catholic group Opus Dei, portrayed as villainous in the story, is among those asking Sony Corp. to issue a disclaimer with the film.

Bart Ehrman, religion chair at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, likens the phenomenon to the excitement in the 19th century when deluded masses thought Jesus would return in 1844.

The novel's impact on religious ideas in popular culture, he says, is "quite unlike anything we've experienced in our lifetimes."

To give just one example, Ben Witherington III of Asbury Theological Seminary is following up the criticisms of the novel in "The Gospel Code" with lectures in Singapore, Turkey and 30 U.S. cities. He's given 55 broadcast interviews.

Assaults on "Da Vinci" don't just come from evangelicals like Witherington, or from Roman Catholic leaders such as Chicago's Cardinal Francis George, who says Brown is waging "an attack on the Catholic Church" through preposterous historical claims.

Among more liberal thinkers, Harold Attridge, dean of Yale's Divinity School, says Brown has "wildly misinterpreted" early Christianity. Ehrman details Brown's "numerous mistakes" in "Truth and Fiction in the Da Vinci Code" and asks: "Why didn't he simply get his facts straight?"

The problem is that "Da Vinci" is billed as more than mere fiction.

Brown's opening page begins with the word "FACT" and asserts that all descriptions of documents "are accurate."

"It's a book about big ideas, you can love them or you can hate them," Brown said in a speech last week. "But we're all talking about them, and that's really the point."

Brown told National Public Radio's "Weekend Edition" during a 2003 publicity tour — he declines interviews now — that his characters and action are fictional but "the ancient history, the secret documents, the rituals, all of this is factual." Around the same time, on CNN he said that "the background is all true."

Christian scholars beg to differ. Among the key issues:

Jesus' Divinity

Brown's version in "Da Vinci": Christians viewed Jesus as a mere mortal until A.D. 325 when the Emperor Constantine "turned Jesus into a deity" by getting the Council of Nicaea to endorse divine status by "a relatively close vote."

His critics' version: Larry Hurtado of Scotland's University of Edinburgh, whose "Lord Jesus Christ" examines first century belief in Jesus' divinity, says that "on chronology, issues, developments, and all the matters asserted, Brown strikes out; he doesn't even get on base."

He and others cite the worship of Jesus in epistles that Paul wrote in the 50s A.D. One passage teaches that Jesus, "though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped" and became a man (Philippians 2:6).

Historians also say the bishops summoned to Nicaea by Constantine never questioned the long-held belief in Jesus' divinity. Rather, they debated technicalities of how he could be both divine and human and approved a new formulation by a lopsided vote, not a close one.

The New Testament

Brown's version: "More than 80 gospels were considered for the New Testament" but Constantine chose only four. His new Bible "omitted those gospels that spoke of Christ's human traits and embellished those gospels that made him godlike. The earlier gospels were outlawed, gathered up and burned." The Dead Sea Scrolls and manuscripts from Nag Hammadi, Egypt, were "the earliest Christian records," not the four Gospels.

Critics: Historians say Christians reached consensus on the authority of the first century's four Gospels and letters of Paul during the second century. But some of the 27 New Testament books weren't universally accepted until after Constantine's day. Constantine himself had nothing to do with these decisions.

Some rejected writings are called gospels, though they lack the narrative histories that characterize the New Testament's four. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were earlier and won wide consensus as memories and beliefs from Jesus' apostles and their successors.

The rejected books often portrayed an ethereal Jesus lacking the human qualities depicted in the New Testament Gospels — the exact opposite of Brown's scenario. Gnostic gospels purported to contain secret spiritual knowledge from Jesus as the means by which an elite could escape the material world, which they saw as corrupt. They often spurned Judaism's creator God and the Old Testament.

On the question of mass burning of texts deemed heretical, Ehrman of North Carolina says there's little evidence to support that claim. Rejected books simply disappeared because people stopped using them, and nobody bothered to make new copies in an age long before the printing press.

The Dead Sea Scrolls? These were Jewish documents, not Christian ones. The Nag Hammadi manuscripts? With one possible exception, these came considerably later than the New Testament Gospels.

Jesus as Married

Brown's version: Jesus must have wed because Jewish decorum would "virtually forbid" an unmarried man. His spouse was Mary Magdalene and their daughter inaugurated a royal bloodline in France.

Critics: First century Jewish historian Josephus said most Jews married but Essene holy men did not. The Magdalene myth only emerged in medieval times.

Brown cites the Nag Hammadi "Gospel of Philip" as evidence of a marriage, but words are missing from a critical passage in the tattered manuscript: "Mary Magdalene (missing) her more than (missing) the disciples (missing) kiss her (missing) on her (missing)."

Did Jesus kiss Mary on the lips, or cheek or forehead? Whatever, Gnostics would have seen the relationship as platonic and spiritual, scholars say.

James M. Robinson of Claremont (Calif.) Graduate School, a leading specialist, thinks the current popularity of Mary Magdalene "says more about the sex life (or lack of same) of those who participate in this fantasy than it does about Mary Magdalene or Jesus."

The whole "Da Vinci" hubbub, Witherington says, shows "we are a Jesus-haunted culture that's biblically illiterate" and harbors general "disaffection from traditional answers."

But he and others also see a chance to inform people about the beliefs of Christianity through the "Da Vinci" controversy.

"If people are intrigued by the historical questions, there are plenty of materials out there," Yale's Attridge says.

British Justice Peter Smith, who recently backed Brown against plagiarism charges, perhaps best summed up the situation in his decision:

"Merely because an author describes matters as being factually correct does not mean that they are factually correct. It is a way of blending fact and fiction together to create that well known model 'faction.' The lure of apparent genuineness makes the books and the films more receptive to the readers/audiences. The danger of course is that the faction is all that large parts of the audience read, and they accept it as truth."

Fifth Sunday of Easter (B)

I am the vine, you are the branches. (Jn 15:1-8)

In the Old Testament, Israel was referred to as a vine. But it did not bear fruit and for this reason, according to Jesus, it was uprooted and replaced by a new one. The new vine is Jesus and his disciples are the branches.

BRANCHES THAT DO NOT BEAR FRUIT

Yet Christians can be found who do not bear fruit. We can identify two kinds.

The first are are those who are Christians in name only. It just so happened that they were born Christians. It doesn't really matter to them whether they are Christians or not.

The second kind are those who have given themselves already to a life of sin. St. Paul describes them this way: "They are filled with every form of wickedness, evil, greed, and malice; full of envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, and spite. They are gossips and scandalmongers and they hate God. They are insolent, haughty, boastful, ingenious in their wickedness, and rebellious toward their parents. They are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless (Rom 1: 30-31)."

What happens to them? God leaves them alone. They grow in their wicked ways. St. Paul says: "And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God handed them over to their undiscerning mind to do what is improper (Rom 1:28-29)." Using the symbol of the vine, Jesus says: "He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit."

BRANCHES THAT DO BEAR FRUIT

Those Christians who bear fruit are described as: compassionate, kind-hearted, humble, good, patient. They seek forgiveness and they are ready to forgive. They are truthful. They do not let the sun go down on their anger. They are helpful. They give a helping hand. They know how to give thanks. They do not engage idle talk. They are peaceful. They are loving. They do everything in the name of the Lord.

CONCLUSION

Christians form the branches that is Christ. There are two kinds of Christians. Those who bear fruit and those that do not. Which are we?

Fourth Sunday of Easter (B)

Good Shepherd Sunday (Jn 10:11-18)

In Palestine sheep are raised for their wool and not for their meat. Hence, the sheep lives with the shepherd for years. And they develop strong affections for one another. For this reason, the shepherd truly loves his sheep and the sheep know him and love him. The shepherd protects the sheep from wild animals. He is armed with a slingshot and club.

Jesus presents himself as the Good Shepherd. He paid the price of our redemption.

What makes the love of Christ heroic (according to St. Paul) was that while we were still enemies, he died for us (Rom 5:7-8).

One Year Anniversary

Would you believe it? It has been more than a year since I started blogging. I hope that those who have read my blog found it spiritually enriching and nourishing.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,would be preached in his name to all the nations (Lk 24:35-48)

Setting
The two disciples had just arrived in Jerusalem from Emmaus in order to bring to the disciples the news that Jesus had appeared to them.

Peace
Shalom is a typical greeting. But in this instance it meant something different. Jesus was giving to his disciples the fruits of his passion and death.

They were startled and terrified.
The sudden and unexpected appearance of Jesus startled the disciples. This turned to terror when he whom they knew to be dead was there in front of them.

Touch me and see.
Although the body of Jesus has been glorified, it remained solid and bore the wounds of the crucifixion.

They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them.
In front of them may mean before their eyes. But it could also be translated as at their table. In other words, the action of Jesus was not only to show that he was not a ghost but was an act of fellowship.

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
The period covering his resurrection until his ascension (40 days in Acts) was spent in preparing his disciples for the task of calling people to faith in him. Their preaching would carry great weight for they were witnesses of what they were preaching.

STORY

Graham Greene wrote the story of Monsignor Quixote's bad dream. In that dream he saw Jesus crucified on the cross while the Jews were making fun of him. They challenged him to come down from the cross.

Suddenly Jesus gave a loud cry. He called on the angels. And they came. They removed the nails and brought him down from the cross.

The Romans knelt before him. The Pharisees worshipped him as well as the elders, the Sadducees, the priests and all of Jerusalem.

His disciples arrived one by one and they acclaimed him. In triumph they entered Jerusalem once more.

LESSON

Why was this a bad dream?

If Jesus came down from the cross he would have chosen a path different from the path that the Father willed for him. "Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer."

A Japanese karate instructor volunteered his services in Don Bosco Tondo. He was a Shintoist. He was toured around the area on the first day. When he passed by the chapel, he saw the cross and asked about it. The guide explained who Jesus was and the significance of his death. But the instructor couldn't understand why Jesus had to die on the cross.

Perhaps the death of Christ on the cross is something that we take as a matter of course. But it is the cross that comes to us that we may have difficulty in understanding. Why? Why? Why?

Yet it is something that should not come as a surprise to us. For did not Jesus tell us: "If you want to be my disciple, carry your cross everyday and follow me."

Second Sunday of Easter (B)

On the evening of that first day of the week...Jesus came and stood in their midst. (Jn 20:19-31)

When did this event take place?
The time of this event was on the evening of the day when Jesus rose from the dead.

Why were they together?
The reason for being together in the upper room was fear for their lives.

Why did John mention the detail of the room being locked?
To show that the body of Jesus has been transformed by the resurrection and being so, can no longer be hindered by matter. He can now therefore pass through walls.

Why did Jesus show his wounds?
The Resurrection somehow changed the appearance of Jesus. Mary Magdalene when she first saw him thought he was the gardener. The wounds would identify him as truly Jesus.

Why were the apostles so happy?
Wouldn't you also be filled with joy if someone you love died but later was revived?

Why did Jesus breathe on his disciples?
In Hebrew the word for spirit is also the word for breath. His action affirmed his words: Receive the Holy Spirit.

Why did Jesus give them the Holy Spirit?
In order to give them the power to forgive the sins of their fellowmen.

Take note that in St. John Pentecost did not take place 50 days after the Passion but on the same day as Easter. So did the Ascension. That was why Jesus can now send the Holy Spirit from the Father. And with the sending of the Holy Spirit believers can now become children of God through Baptism.

Furthermore the Apostles to whom Jesus gave the Spirit for the forgiveness of sins were unfaithful to Jesus. They abandoned Jesus in his darkest hour. Yet Jesus gave them this power. Therefore, the objection of "why confess to priests when they are also sinners" do not hold water.

Why was the forgiveness of sins the first gift of the Risen Lord to his Church?
Because the reason why Jesus died was to save humanity from their sins. In the sacrament of confession, Jesus again and again grants to us the forgiveness of our sins.

Why did John tell the story of the doubt of Thomas?
First, in order to show that the Resurrection was not an invention of the apostles.

Second, in order to let Christians of the future hear the words of Jesus which was so appropriate for them: Blessed are they who have not seen and yet believe.

EASTER (B)

You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. (Mk 16:1-7)

If I were to choose a movie that would somehow illustrate the Paschal Mystery, it whould be The Chronicles of Narnia. The movie is obviously an allegory of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It doesn’t take much of an imagination to identify Aslan, the Lion, with Jesus Christ and the White Witch with Satan.

I selected three sequences from the movie which I felt were closely related to the Paschal Mystery.

First Sequence

The first sequence is when the White Witch entered the camp of Aslan and demanded the surrender of Edmund. He was to be executed because he betrayed his brother and sisters. Then Aslan and the White Witch went to the tent for a conference. The conference ended with Aslan taking the place of Edmund. The innocent lion taking the place of the guilty Edmund. It is the innocent Jesus taking the place of sinful human beings.

Second Sequence

The second sequence is the execution and resurrection. Aslan willingly met his death at the hands of the White Witch on the Stone Table. While the White Witch engaged the followers of Aslan in battle, Lucy and Susan weep over Aslan. But lo and behold, Aslan disappears and then re-appears alive again.

Satan can not keep Jesus dead. Jesus is all-powerful. Nothing is impossible with Jesus. And so what is Jesus telling us at his resurrection? He assures us: “Fear not!” Why? Because Jesus is powerful, he can protect you, defend you, and help you.

“Fear not!” Why? Because Jesus is resurrected, he can be with you all the time and any place you go! The Resurrected Jesus assures us: “Fear not! For I am with you!”

Third Sequence

The third sequence is the battle sequence. When did the tide turn against the White Witch? When the resurrected Aslan entered the fray.

There is a battle going on inside us—the battle between good and evil. The battle ground is our heart. If we allow the Risen Lord to join us in this battle, we know for sure what will be the outcome—final victory for us.

But how do we get the Risen Lord to join us in this battle against evil?

First, through confession. How’s that? You see, going to confession is not just saying: “I have sinned. I am sorry. I repent.” Going to confession is also giving to God control over our lives. In other words, we are telling the Risen Jesus who battled and won against evil: “Please take command.”

Second, communion. Remember Elijah? He was running for his life. Jezebel was after his head. He was fed with bread by the angel of God. Having done that, he was able to walk 40 days and 40 nights until he reached the safety of the mountain of God. Biblical scholars say that the bread fed to Elijah is a foreshadowing of the Eu-charistic Bread.

The battle going in our hearts is a protracted battle. It will continue until the end of our lives. Where do we get the strength to continue fighting and never to give up? Communion. St. John Bosco used to say: “Communion is the bread that makes us strong.”

RECOMMENDATIONS

My Easter recommendations are:

• Get hold of the DVD of The Chronicles of Narnia. Watch it and nourish your soul.
  
• Do you need Jesus to re-assure you that he will always be there for you to protect you, or to help you or to comfort you? Make a poster or bookmarks with the words: “Fear not! For I am with you!”
  
• And finally, develop the sacramental spirituality of confession and communion. Hand over to God control over your life in confession and in communion let God give you the endurance and strength to battle sin and evil in your heart until the end of your life.

Palm Sunday (B)

Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. (Mk 15:1-39)

This Sunday is called Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday. Two Gospels are read.

The first is read before the Mass proper. It relates the story of the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The gospel story is re-enacted with the blessing of the palms and the procession into the church. Later the blessed palms are brought home. Some people put them on their doors or windows. Others put them on the wall. The ashes used on Ash Wednesday come the ashes that remain after these dried palms are burned.

The passion of Jesus is read as the gospel of the Sunday. (It is, therefore, fitting that the liturgical color is red.) Because it is long, the passion narrative is sometimes divided among different readers. The part of Jesus is read by the priest, of course. There is a repeat of the passion reading on Good Friday. The narrative is always taken from the Gospel of John. In some places the passion narrative is sung in Gregorian chant.

LESSONS

The cross is the icon of the passion. Contemplating on the cross, we can arrive at two conclusions. The first is that sins of humanity must be so grave. The second is that God must love us so much.

We are sinful.

The principle of proportionality demands that the gravity of the crime must dictate the severity of the punishment. At the time of Noah, the cumulative wickedness of men brought the deluge that almost wiped out life on earth. The wickedness of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah condemned them and their cities to a fiery end. The sins of all men must be so enormous so that it was not enough for a mere man to suffer the cruel death of crucifixion. It had to be God. It might be a good idea to watch The Passion of the Christ in order to get a feel of the gravity of our sins.

Smile. God loves you.

St. Paul said that with some difficulty you might be able to find someone who would be willing to die for a good man. But to die for a wicked man? Yet Jesus did just that. And that proves how much he loved us. While we were still God's enemies, he gave his life as a ransom for us.

Through the cross God tells us, "I do love you." I am reminded of a valentine card. There was a cuddly teddy bear in front. And there was the question: "Do you know how much I love you?" When you open the card, the teddy bear opens its arms. And there is the declaration, "This much." On the cross Jesus asks us: "Do you know how much I love you?" And with arms nailed on the cross, says: "This much!"

Fifth Sunday of Lent (B)

Unless grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies… (Jn 12:20-33)

Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast

They were foreigners who accepted the Jewish faith in the one God and some of their observances. They were called Greeks because they spoke Greek. They approached Philip and Andrew who were the only two disciples who had Gentile names. These two probably spoke Greek.

Have we been like Andrew and Philip instruments to bring others closer to God?

The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

The hour is the passion, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus into heaven which in fact is the glorification of Jesus.

In the Bible hour meant decisive stages in God’s plan of saving mankind. Lent is the hour for us to accept God’s plan of saving us. Just as Jesus responded with a yes so must we. And we do so by repentance, that is, by turning away from sin in roder to turn to God once more.

Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.

Jesus is the grain of wheat. His death produces a rich harvest of salvation for all man and the birth of the Church.

The early church accepted this law of life. In fact, it was a common saying that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church. That is, the death of the Christian is not the beginning of the end for the church but in fact will result in more people accepting the Christian faith.

The Lenten season is the time for putting to death our sinful desires. St. Paul writes to the Colossians: “Therefore, put to death what is earthly in your life, that is, immorality, impurity, inordinate passions, wicked desires and greed which is a way of worshipping idols.” The result is a new way of thinking, a new way of living, a new man created in the likeness of Christ.

I am troubled now.

The gospel of John does not related the agony of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. But what the other gospels related as happening in the garden, john relates here. Jesus feels anguish as the hour of his death approaches. He appeals to his Father. He accepts his death. And finally, he receives comfort from heaven.

Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.”

The Father’s voice came to give witness to Jesus at two other great moments: his baptism at the Jordan and at the Transfiguration. This moment was also important because at this point the teaching ministry of Jesus is ended and his glorification is beginning.

Conscience is called the voice of God within us. In moments of temptation this voice also speaks to us, to invite us to avoid sin and to be faithful to him.

Now the ruler of this world will be driven out.

Satan is the prince of this world. The death of Jesus overcomes the dominion of Satan over humanity.

Exorcism is a religious ceremony to drive out an evil spirit that has taken possession of the body of a person. But Satan can also take possession of the our hearts. Confession becomes the means of driving Satan from our hearts.

And when I am lifted up from the earth

Jesus will be lifted up from the earth through his crucifixion and his resurrection and ascension into heaven.

We are not meant to live forever in this world. If we are found worthy, we shall one day be lifted up to heaven to share in the glory of Jesus.

I will draw everyone to myself.

The crucified Christ is set before the eyes of the world as its Savior. But we can refuse because we are free. Let us not harden our hearts to the cal of the Lord during this Lenten season.

Fourth Sunday of Lent (B)

Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert. (Jn 3:14-21)

In the book of Numbers, the people of Israel were reported to have grumbled because of lack of water and food. For this God sent snakes whose bite brought death to many. The people then went to Moses to beg him to intercede for them before God. God instructed Moses to fashion a bronze serptent and hang it on a standard. Everyone who was bitten and looked at the bronze serpent survived.

The bronze serpent was a symbol of Jesus who was hung on the standard of the cross. Those who would look at him in faith, that is, those who would believe in him, would receive eternal life.

To us the cross is important because it is a symbol of our salvation, a sign of faith and a reminder of God's love for us. For this reason we must make the sign of the cross with reverence.

To be lifted up in St. John's Gospel does not ony mean the crucifixion. It also includes the glorification of Jesus in his resurrection and asecension into heaven. Therefore, it is not only the death of Jesus that gave us eternal life, but also his resurrection and ascension.

Eternal life is often understood as being part of the life of the age to come, that is, the never-ending life that God will bring after the end of the world. This life, therefore, is something in the future.

But in John's Gospel eternal life is something that anyone can already enjoy in some measure even while on earth. Earth is like the first stage; Heaven, the final stage. Earth is like that stage where a seed is planted and grows. Heaven is that stage when the plant has become a tree and is now bearing fruit.

LESSON

If you go to the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Better Living, Paranaque, you will notice a different kind of cross at the sanctuary. It is not the crucified Christ that you will see. Instead it is the resurrected Christ. What they did is to express in religous art what St. John said in his Gospel, that the glorification of Jesus consists not only in his resurrection and ascension, but in his death as well. They are one package.

And what St. John said can also be found in the nuggets of human wisdom. For example, no pain, no gain. Kung walang tiyaga, walang nilaga. What wisdom do these quotations teach? Success comes at the price of sacrifice. Triumph comes with a price.

Our mistake is that we want the short-cut to success. We want to succeed without making the necessary effort. Would you believe it? Some students expect to pass the subject without having to study their lessons and pass their projects. Some people want to get rich without working for it. And I am not talking about cell phone snatchers. Some take the short-cut to riches through corruption.

This kind of mentality can also be found in the spiritual life. Here are excerpts from the prayer of someone who wants the easy way:

I asked God to take away my pride.
God said "No".
It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.

I asked God to grant me patience.
God said "No".
It isn't granted, it is earned.

I asked God to spare me pain.
God said "No".
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares
and brings you closer to me.

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said "No".
I will give you life so that you may enjoy all things.

We promise God to be good and avoid sin, but we may be unwilling to make the effort to avoid the occasions of sin. We promise God that we will change, but we may be unwilling to make the effort to exercise self-control. We promise God that we will increase our self-control but we are unwilling to fast and to make sacrifices.

It is useless for us to expect that by Easter we will have changed our ways if during this Lent we have not made any effort to avoid the occasion of sin, to exercise self-control and to fast and to make sacrifices.

No pain. No gain. Walang tiyaga. Walang nilaga.

Third Sunday of Lent (B)

Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace. ( Jn 2:13-25 )

He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money changers seated there.

This was the outer Court of the Gentiles. Beyond this no gentile may cross at the pain of death.

Merchants were there for the convenience of the pilgrims who could not possibly bring animals along.

The money-changers were a necessity since Jews would not use pagan money to buy the animal sacrifices.

Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.

By saying "my Father's house", Jesus shows a special relationship with the Father.

Jesus was protesting the lack of respect for the sanctity of the temple.

Zeal for your house will consume me.

This comes from Psalm 69 which was always thought of as applying to the Messiah. Jesus is, therefore, being hinted as the Messiah.

The clearing of the temple was one more reason for the hostility of the Jews towards Jesus and would bring him closer to his death.

What sign can you show us for doing this?

In the gospel of John, the Jews continuously ask for a miracle which Jesus would refuse to give. Miracles were for those who were ready to receive them.

Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.

This statement of Jesus was used against him in a twisted way when he was brought before the Sanhedrin.

This temple has been under construction for forty-six years.

The construction was begun in 20 or 19 BC. This incident, therefore, took place in 28 AD. The temple was not completed in Jesus' time. It was finished around 63 or 64 AD. And then destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD and never rebuilt to the present day.

But he was speaking about the temple of his body.

The temple was holy because it was God's dwelling place. Now with the coming of Jesus the temple is no longer needed. It has been replaced by Jesus in whom we can find God because he is truly God.

Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all.

A faith based merely on miracles and not in the one who performs them will prove unstable. In fact, the very ones who welcomed Jesus as Son of David were the ame ones to cry out: "Crucify him!"

OF CHAPELS AND CHURCHES

Our chapels and churches are sacred spaces. We dedicate them for the worship of God. That is why we call them House of God or House of Prayer. Precisely they are sacred spaces, our behavior inside them must reflect their sacred character.

When the liturgy is not being celebrated, the silence that pervades the building not only creates the climate for prayer but proclaims the praying that is going on inside.

When we enter the chapel, we make the sign of the cross (with holy water, if available). It is both a reminder and a acknowledgment that we entering a sacred space.

When the Blessed Sacrament is kept in the tabernacle, the genuflection (or in some places, a deep bow) becomes a homage and adoration to Jesus who is truly present.

Chapels and Churches are truly the House of God. But they are also the House of the People of God assembled for worship. In fact, the word church does not only refer to a building but to the body of believers. That is why going to a chapel or to a church is like going home. It is the Father's house. But it is also ours.

Second Sunday of Lent (B)

The Transfiguration (Mk 9:2-10)

Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.

In the Old Testament, Moses beheld Yahweh on Mount Sinai. Now Peter, James and John beheld the transfigured Jesus on Mount Tabor.

Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus.

In the old testament times God spoke to his people through chosen persons such as Moses and Elijah. Now the Father speaks through his Son. Therefore, we are to listen to Jesus.

Moses and Elijah represented the Law and the Prophets. They were also there to testify to Jesus as the Messiah.

“Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents."

Peter wanted to prolong the experience of blessedness on the mountain. But that was not to be because they had to return to the world and enter upon the path of suffering. That was why the cloud disappeared and Jesus returned to his normal appearance.

Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them.

When Israel was wandering in the desert, they had a Tent of Meeting. When a cloud covered that tent, it was a sign that God was there. The cloud was present at the Transfiguration as a sign of the presence of the Father.

He charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Before Jesus could enter into his glory, he had to suffer and die on the cross.

Significance of the Transfiguration

“Who do people say that I am?” The answer of the disciples was: “John the Baptist, Elijah or one of the prophets.” “But you who do you say that I am?” Peter answered: “You are the Messiah.”

The transfiguration was a confirmation of their faith in Jesus was the Messiah. It was the occasion when the Father himself made known that Jesus was his beloved Son. And finally, it was a preview of the glory of Jesus as Lord after the resurrection and the glory of the just at the resurrection of the dead.

Our Personal Transfiguration

The transfiguration was chosen to be the gospel of the 2nd Sunday of Lent to tell us that if we want to be transfigured like Jesus we must also take the path of the cross, that is, we must put to death our sinful selves.

This is a story of the transfiguration of a person whose slavery to drugs led him to the gates of hell.

He started with amphetamines, then valium. He abandoned his wife.

Then he went for cocaine and sedatives. His mother called for him when her second husband died suddenly. He didn't care.

He introduced his 15-yr old son and his friend to cocaine. This led to his arrest but managed to delay the trial for two years.

He was soon $450,000 in debt. He was spending $2000 a week for cocaine.

One night he could no longer stand it. He reached for the drawer of his dresser and took out his gun. He got hold of the Jewish prayer cord his father had given him a long time ago. His father had told him: "If there is ever anything important you need, take this cord and pray." He fell on his knees weeping, "God, help me. I don't want to die."

To continue living he had to put to death his addicted self. He signed up for treatment. He also attended Alcoholics Anonymous.

From his old self began to emerge a new self. He began working hard again. He started paying his creditors. He also became active in Narcotics Anonymous to help others like him. Later he founded Cocaine Anonymous.

He recieved a call from his mother again. This time it was cancer. He knew what he had to do. He closed his business which was picking up and went to Fort Lauderdale to care for his mother.

Now he was truly transfigured.

The Path to Personal Transfiguration

La Pieta was one of Michaelangelo's greatest sculptures. But in the beginning it was just a big block of rough marble which had been rejected by other sculptors. One day Michaelangelo began to apply his chisel to it. Bits and pieces of marble fell to the floor until one day the block of rough marble was no more. It had become the La Pieta.

We are meant to be God's masterpieces. But for that to happen, the chisel of sacrifice and self-discipline must be used. In this way our sinful self might be chipped away little by little until we are transfigured and a new self is born.

First Sunday of Lent (B)

Jesus remained in the desert for forty days,tempted by Satan. (Mk 1:12-15)

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert.

The desert was where it was believed the evil spirits dwelt.

He remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan.

Israel lived 40 years in the desert after the exodus and before they finally entered the Promised Land. Elijah walked 40 days before reaching Mt. Horeb. Moses was with Yahweh for 40 days on top of Mt. Sinai.

Satan was the accuser in front of God. He was the leader of the forces against the People of God. He tempts people to sin.

He was among wild beasts.

The peaceful coexistence of man and wild animals just like in the garden of Eden was a sign the time of the Messiah was at hand.

And the angels ministered to him.

It was an angel that brought food and drink to Elijah. According to Psalm 91, the man who trusts in God will win against evil, he will dwell in peace with wild animals and angels will serve him.

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God.

The fate of John the Baptist would be the fate of Jesus Christ.

Jesus left Judea because it had become dangerous for him. In Galilee Jesus found a better reception than in Judea.

The kingdom of God is at hand.

The coming of the Kingdom of God means: 1) The power of God would be manifested; 2) All men will be judged; and 3) The reign of God over all mankind.

Repent, and believe in the gospel.

Repentance in Greek is metanoia. It means a change in direction of one's life; a change of mind; a change in behavior; turning away from sin in order to fix one's eyes on God.

MESSAGE

In the desert Jesus came face to face with the devil. There the devil tried to make him sin. Jesus emerged victorious. During this lenten season, we too have to face our sins and the temptations that bedevil us.

What are our weapons? What are our strategies?

• Communion to make us strong
• Resolution to target that dominant sins that we have to weed out
• Daily examination of conscience to monitor how we are doing in the fight
  
• Prayer and the reading of God's word to keep us in touch with God
  
• Confession for healing
  

Ash Wednesday

Harry Potter

Do you remember that scene in the Harry Potter movie Chamber of Secrets where Harry was wounded by the basilisk (giant snake)? He would have died from its poison. What saved him? The tears of the Phoenix

There is also a scene in one of the Harry Potter movies where something interesting happened to the Phoenix in the office of Albus Dumbledore. What happened? The Phoenix burned up. And from its ashes a hatchling appeared.

Phoenix

The Phoenix is a mythological bird that has a long life-span. Some myths put it at 500, 1,461 or 12,594 years. It is a male bird with beautiful gold and red plumage.

At the end of its life-cycle the phoenix builds itself a nest of cinnamon twigs that it then ignites; both nest and bird burn fiercely and are reduced to ashes, from which a new, young phoenix arises.

The new phoenix embalms the ashes of the old phoenix in an egg made of myrrh and deposits it in Heliopolis, located in Egypt.

The bird was also said to regenerate when hurt or wounded by a foe, thus being almost immortal and invincible.

Ash Wednesday

On Wednesday we will be receiving the ashes. The Phoenix can be a reminder about what Lent is all about.

What happens at the end of the life-cycle of the Phoenix? It burns up and is reduced to ashes. From the ashes arises a new Phoenix

So also from the ashes that we shall receive on Ash Wednesday, there should arise a new self. What is this new self? This new self is one who has turned away from his sins and lives in the grace of God.

Conclusion

Therefore, if you are going to receive the ashes on Ash Wednesday it means you are ready to turn away from your sins and live in the grace of God.

Turn away from your sins in the sacrament of confession. Live in the grace of God by avoiding those occasions where you might be tempted to commit sin.