21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

“This saying is hard; who can accept it?” Jn 6:60-69

Introduction

During the regime of Pol Pot in Cambodia, millions of men, and women, young and old were put to death. Almost after three decades, the remaining leaders will finally be put on trial. One of them who was Buddhist became Christian. He said that Christianity was easier because all you have to do was to ask pardon and God will forgive you. But in Buddhism, if you have been bad, you will be re-incarnated into a lower life form. And you will be re-incarnated again and again until you are good enough to enter their heaven, called Nirvana.

It is true that it is easy to be forgiven in Christianity. And it is because Christ already paid for our sins. But it is not true that it is easy to live Christianity. The demands are tough.

Many of Jesus' disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?”

The statement of Jesus: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day” is not the only statement of Jesus that is hard to accept.

Mt 6: 31-33. “So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?' or 'What are we to drink?' or 'What are we to wear?' All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.”

Mt 5: 23-24. “Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

Mt 5: 38-39. "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, ‘offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.’”

Mt 5: 44. “But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.”

Mt 5: 29-30. “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.”

Mt 5: 32. “But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail.

In St. John’s gospel, flesh is used to indicate the weakness, sinfulness and limitation of a human being. And that is why we hear it said: “Sapagkat tayo tao lamang.” This statement is true but not completely true, for we are not only flesh. We are also spirit. In other words, God has given us the possibility of rising above our weakness, our sinfulness and our limitations. God has planted the seed of greatness within us.

Judge Lee of Cebu was one of the fatalities of a sea tragedy. Survivors attest to the fact that he was one of those who organized the orderly distribution of life vests. He did not keep a life vest for himself. He gave it all away. Is this not greatness? Did he not fulfill Jesus’ words, “No greater love a man has than to lay down his life for his friends.”

Have we not read of two OFW who worked in Lebanon. They were both women who worked abroad in order to send their young siblings to school. Are they not heroes?

We have one priest who has only one kidney. He gave his other kidney to his elder brother. And if his kuya is alive today, it is because of him.

These are all examples of what we are capable of. And it is because God has given us the power to rise above our sinfulness, our weakness and our limitations.

Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”

Today what question will Jesus address to us? Is it “do you also want to leave?” or would it instead be, “When will you be coming back to me?”

How often do we pray? When do we pray?

When was the last time we went to confession?

The problem perhaps is not that we are tempted to leave the company of God. The problem perhaps is that we have forgotten God and have focused our attention on other things. Or perhaps we have been living with sin in our hearts and have gotten used to it.

Conclusion

We have the distinction of being the only Christian country in this part of the world. And yet has our being Christian been advantageous to our country? Did it make our country progressive? Did it make of us a virtuous people?

If the answer is yes, then God be praised. But if the answer is no, perhaps it is not the fault of Christianity. The problem perhaps is that we have not really put into practice the teachings of Jesus in our daily lives.

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

And the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. (Jn 6:41-51)

The Jews murmured about Jesus because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”

It may also be translated as: The Jews complained to one another. In the desert the Israelites complained endlessly. And it was attributed to their lack of faith. Now their descendants are again complaining. And again it was because of their lack of faith. In fact the gospel of John is the story of unbelief on the part of the Jews. They could not accept the claims of Jesus.

The Jews could not accept this claim of Jesus because they thought they knew his origin, his father and his mother. But we know that Jesus is the Word who came from the Father and became flesh and dwelt among us.

All religions seeks God. But it is only Christianity that says that it is God that seeks man. Jesus came down from heaven in order to seek the lost sheep and bring it back. The Jews could not accept that Jesus was the Father's agent in seeking out mankind.

Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert.

The Jews knew of the manna that their ancestors ate in the desert. They could not accept that Jesus was the true bread that the Father gives for the life of the world. Jesus even dared to say that he was greater than the Law which the Jews believed to be the bread that nourishes the Jewish people.

And the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.

The verb "give" is used in the NT (New Testament) for the giving of Jesus of his body as a sacrifice on the cross. This handing over of his body brings life to the world. By eating his flesh in holy communion, we receive the life (eternal life) which he won for us on the cross.

THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE

Eternal carries with it the idea of without end. This world will end. The next life has no end. We human beings will die. God will never die.

When we speak of eternal life, we are speaking of that life enjoyed by God in contrast to our life on earth. Eternal life is not just life without end. It is a happy life without end.

Greek mythology relates the story of Aurora, the goddess of dawn, who fell in love with a mortal, Tithonus. Zeus offered here any gift for her lover. Aurora asked that he might never die. She forgot to ask that he might also remain young forever. So Tithonus lived forever growing older and older until life became a curse.

The eternal life offered to us by God is not just life without end. It is a life of complete happiness without end. And every holy communion we receive is receiving not only Jesus but also his promise of a happy life without end.

The Transfiguration (B)

And he was transfigured before them ( Mk 9:2-10)

On Mount Tabor the three apostles had a religious experience. Could we call it a mystical experience? Whatever the name we might call it, it was an experience of the divine, an experience of God.

Ninoy Aquino had such an experience. Let a newspaperwoman (Rita Ledesma) relate to you what Ninoy told her.

He (Ninoy) turned to me, and I saw a soft smile lighting up his face. "I'm so glad to know you," he said. "I can talk to you about my soul. We can speak of my inner journey. You would appreciate that. I've been trying to converse with anyone about how I met God, how I commune with Him. But no one hears my longing. No one believes that I'm more than just a political animal."

"I know how it feels to meet God," I said.

But he didn't seem to notice that I had spoken, so eager was he to express himself. Words spilled out of him like water from a pipe that had burst wide open.

"When I was in (Fort) Bonifacio, I lived in a box," Ninoy said. "Well, that's what it felt like. There was an opening with bars, supposed to be a window, just big enough for me to get some air.

"It was my connection to the outside. But it was high, and there was this sheet of ply-wood, so I could only see a bit of the sky. I used to look out and try to learn its language. A hint of dawn, and I'd sense the kind of day it was going to be. Every dusk was different, every passing cloud. Try this: Look at the sky. What's it saying to you?"

Before I had time to reflect and reply, he continued: "After a while, I was able to discern the sounds around me -- the rustle of leaves when a storm was brewing, who were speaking, which guard was walking past my room.

"You become extremely sensitive when you're alone. I was there a long time, you know."

It began to drizzle. "This kind of rain always reminds me of home," he mused.

His voice suddenly playful, he said: "I can't mention this to just anyone. Maybe 10 years after I'm gone, you can tell your friends. By then, who'd care?"

A slight pause, and then he confided: "I had a pet in my room. Yeah, a pet! He was all mine, the guards couldn't even touch him. I used to talk to him about God. We had profound conversations. Gosh, we had great times together!"

He laughed, and it was delightful to see him so happy.

"Know what?" he said. "My pet was a mouse!"

I shrieked.

"Listen," Ninoy said, recalling how it began. "One night I saw this dark gray mouse running around. Then he disappeared under the door. A few days later he came back. I was really fascinated -- part of my curious nature.

"Anyway, I decided to experiment and left some food in a corner. When he came again I didn't move. I watched him eat. I did this several times. One day I sat very close to him, and he didn't wriggle away. He continued eating. So I tamed him until I was able to keep him still and talk to him."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Now, how can I tell this to anyone?" he demanded. "'Nasira na talaga si Ninoy (He's gone nuts).' I can hear it."

"You must have reinvented yourself in prison," I said. "Great men do. Maybe you didn't even know how strong you were."

He was adamant: "My strength came from God. No other way."

"Let me tell you something else," he said, switching gears. "For a time I was moved to Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija. I felt degraded there, like I was a real prisoner. My family would visit and there was barbed wire between us.

"My cell didn't have a bathroom. If I wanted to take a shower or use the toilet, I had to signal the guards to let me out. Sometimes they were cruel and wouldn't open the door."

"Oh, my God," I gasped, "how humiliating."

"Anong (What do you mean) humiliating?" he said. "There came a point when I was nothing. I had nothing, not even humiliation. I remember coming back to my room one night after being watched in the toilet, and feeling so small. I had become a non-person. Wala na, tapos na (It was over). I had no dignity left."

"All of a sudden," Ninoy said, "like a miracle I felt free. Liberated from this shell of a body. Released from my prison, from Marcos, from everything that had ever held me hostage.

"It was my Pentecost. I met God and experienced His power. I felt the descent of grace they talk about, and I became a different man."

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks.... (Jn 6:1-15)

The Jewish feast of Passover was near.

This is the feast in which the Jews also recalled the miracle of the manna in the desert, an abundance of bread for the people. Jesus was about to repeat this miracle.

“Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”

Where can you find a store that can sell you food for 5,000 men. Jesus was expecting Philip to say: "Lord, you can provide them bread." But his response showed that he did not yet have faith in Jesus.

“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish."

Some say that the miracle Jesus worked was not the multiplication of the bread but the miracle of arousing the generosity of the people. The generosity of the boy sharing his food touched the people and inspired them to share the food they brought. A beautiful insight. Nevertheless, John seems to want us to see this as a real miracle.

Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.

This reminds us of the Psalm of the Good Shepherd who brings his sheep to green pastures. Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them....

The words are used for the Eucharist. Hence, we realize that the miracle must be a sign pointing to the Eucharist.

“This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.”

The Jews believed that the Messiah would repeat the miracles of Moses, but on a larger scale. Jesus repeated the miracle of the manna in the desert and hence, he was recognized as the Messiah. But because their idea of the Messiah was a national liberator--which Jesus was not--he refused to be their king.

LESSON

The boy was generous enough to surrender his bread and fish to Jesus. Because of that, Jesus was able to work a miracle.

God uses people like that boy and like us to work "miracles" today. How? The Prayer of St. Francis shows us the way:

Make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two.
(Mk 6:7-13)

In those days mass media didn't exist. In order to communicate a new idea one had to become an itinerant preacher or teacher. To proclaim the kingdom of God to Israel, he had to use the same method. He sent his apostles to become itinerant preachers. But before sending them out he had to warn them about the real possibility of earthly concerns becoming obstacles to their mission.

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.

The apprenticeship period is over. What they saw and heard from Jesus, they will do the same. The apostles are now truly apostles, for the Greek word means sent.

He instructed them to take nothing for the journey.

The apostles are to rely on God to provide for their needs as they carry out the mission entrusted to them by Jesus.

Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave.

Otherwise, instead of putting in their time and effort to preaching, they might use it to look for better accomodation.

Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.

When Jews from abroad would return to the Promised Land, they would shake the dust from their sandals. They would not want the dust of a foreign country to mingle with the sacred earth of the Promised Land. By shaking the dust from their sandals, the apostles would be telling the unbelieving town that they are no longer part of the true Israel.

They anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Then as now oil is used in the celebration of the Anointing of the Sick.

PARENTING

Jesus teaches us a lesson about parenting. Before sending the apostles out into the world to preach, Jesus prepared them first, by word and example.

The desire of every parent is for their children to have a bright future. They want them to be safe and secure when they set out on their own in the world of adults. For that to happen, parents will have to prepare them by what they say and do, like Jesus .

Here are some of what you can say or do in raising your children:

1. Be generous with praise but thrifty with blame.
Praise leads to self-confidence which is necessary for a person to succeed. Too much blame leads to inferiority complex.

2. To give your children a good education is not enough. You've got to help them get the most out of that education. Asians are outpeforming Americans. The secret? Parents make sure there is study time at home. And parents are there to enforce the study time and to tutor them. Olders siblings also help the younger ones.

3. Parents set the rules at home. Children are made to suffer the consequences when they break the rules.

4. Parents create for their children a home where they feel they belong. How? By doing things together. It is not so important what is done. What is more important is that they do it together.

5. The best gift parents can give to their children is to become the best persons that they can possibly be. When that happens, parents become an source of inspiration and example for their children.

Dear parents, if you miss an appointment, you can ask for another. But if you miss the growing years of your children, there is no way to bring it back again. Be there for your children.

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

He was amazed at their lack of faith. (Mk 6:1-6)

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place.

Nazareth. Hence, Jesus of Nazareth (although a variation is Jesus the Nazorean).

When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue.

It was the habit of Jesus to teach in the synagogue on the Sabbath. He was, therefore, addressed as teacher or rabbi.

They said, “Where did this man get all this? " And they took offense at him.

An alternative translation would be: And they found him too much for them.

His countrymen could not accept that a mere carpenter could become a rabbi. Their prejudice blinded them to the possibility that he could be more than a carpenter. This reminded me of a parent who came to the office of the school director. His son had a case and the principal had decided on it already. The parent came to appeal. During the conversation the parent blurted out: "He was just a canteen helper." He was referring to the princpal who started out as a canteen helper but who by diligence and hardwork, rose through the ranks to become a principal. The prejudice and snobbishness of that parent.

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.

God can not give us what the goodness of his heart wants to bestow on us if we do not put our faith in him.

Jesus was amazed perhaps he was expecting his countrymen to find it easier to accept him as more than a carpenter. Or Jesus was comparing how his countrymen received him with the acceptance of people from other places. He found more faith in the other towns than in his own.

Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary?

A man is usually introduced as the son of his father. Jesus would have been known as the son of Joseph. Some commentators is of the opinion that Jesus was called son of Mary because at this time Joseph must already be dead.

And the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?”

This verse has often been cited to prove that Mary did not remain a virgin because Jesus had other brothers and sisters. First, we must note that in the Jewish culture, brother and sister was used not only of blood brothers and sisters but also of relatives. Second, that James, Joses, Judas and Simon and sisters were possibly the relatives of Jesus can be seen from this verse: "Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome (Mk 15:40). Mary the mother of James and Joses is not Mary the mother of Jesus.

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

"Daughter, your faith has saved you." (Mk 5:21-43)

God can not do anything for us unless we put our faith in him. We have to believe that God can and will take care of us.

I will relate two instances from Don Bosco.

Our mother house in Turin occupies a whole block. But it all started with the Pinardi shed. The owner had always said that he would never sell his house under 3,000 pounds. After much haggling, Mr. Pinardi agreed to sell it for 1,200 pounds. Cash. In one week’s time. If Don Bosco failed to come up with the money, he would owe Mr. Pinardi 4,000 pounds! Don Bosco did not have the money. Mama Margaret asked, “But where are you going to find the money? We have nothing but debts.” Don Bosco replied, “Come, mother, if you had money, would you not give me some?” “Of course.” “Well and good. Why should you think that the Lord, who is rich, will be less generous?” Believe it or not, three benefactors came and in less than a week Don Bosco was able to pay for the house.

When St. John Bosco was nine years old, Jesus revealed to him his mission in life. He was to become a priest who would devote himself for the good of young people. At that time it seemed an impossible dream. His stepbrother violently opposed his desire to study. And even if he were not opposed, they didn’t have the money. They were just too poor. But he believed that if that was what God wanted him to do, God would find a way. And God did provide. He became a priest and he founded the Salesian Society and the Salesian Sisters to continue his work for young people. At the end of his life, Don Bosco had this regret, “If only I had more faith, I could have done more.” And yet, Don Bosco’s achievement was already monumental.

Putting our faith in God does not mean that God will always grant what we ask for. It doesn’t always mean that health will be restored or that someone will be saved from death. It doesn’t always mean that our money problems will be solved. Putting our faith in God means that we believe that God loves us and that God is so powerful that in the end everything will turn out OK for us.

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.