21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Strive to enter through the narrow gate.

Lk 13:22-30

EXEGESIS

Jerusalem

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

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

Saved

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

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

Door / Gate

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

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

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

SIPAG AT TIYAGA (HARDWORK AND PERSEVERANCE)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

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

Lk 12:32-48

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

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

Preparedness requires planning and foresight.

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

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

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

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

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

Preparedness requires planning and foresight.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Death Gives Birth to Life

Scene 1

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

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

Scene 2

“But you’re dead,” said Harry.

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

“Then….I’m dead too?”

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

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

“Not?” repeated Harry.

“Not,” said Dumbledore.

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

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

“But you want me to go back?”

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

Harry nodded and sighed.

Scene 3

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

“Avada Kedavra!”

“Expelliarmus!”

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

REFLECTION

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

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

The Death of Jesus Christ brought life to the world.

How paradoxical! Death gives birth to life!

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

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

Death gives birth to life.

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

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

Lk 12:13-21

EXEGESIS

Ecclesiastes

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

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

Gospel

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

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

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

CONNECTION BETWEEN FIRST READING AND GOSPEL

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

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

LESSON: WEALTH

How does the OT look at wealth and poverty?

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

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

What does the NT say about wealth?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So what is the problem?

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

So what is the problem?

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

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

CONCLUSION

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

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

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

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

First Friday, Week 17

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monday, 17th Week

SIN

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

INTRODUCTION

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

SIN

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

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

What does it mean to take the hand of Jesus?

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

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

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

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

CONCLUSION

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

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

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

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

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

Lk 11:1-13

THEME

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

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

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

EXEGESIS

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

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

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

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

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

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

Father

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

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

Hallowed be your name.

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

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

Your kingdom come.

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

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

Daily bread

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

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

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

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

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

And do not subject us to the final test.

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

TWO OBSERVATIONS

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

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

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

CONCLUSION

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

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

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

Tuesday, Week 16 (C)

Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD:
I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.

Ex 14:21—15:1

“Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD: I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant; horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.” This song is of praise and thanksgiving. Praise and thanksgiving are one of the 4 kinds of prayer, while singing is one mode of praying.

What are the modes of praying?

The first I call body prayer. It’s either static or dynamic. Static prayer refers to maintaining a posture such as kneeling, prostration or hands raised to heaven. When I was in Korea, I saw how Koreans prostrated in prayer at the shrine of their martyrs. Dynamic body prayer can take the form of a dance or body movements accompanied by a song or instrumental music. I consider walking ever so slowly (Zen-inspired) while praying to be a dynamic body prayer.

A second mode is singing. St. Ambrose, the great bishop of Milan said that he who sings prays twice. We’re not only talking here about singing during the Mass. During my 30-day retreat I used to pray by singing “Huwag Kang Manamba” and “Pilgrim's Theme”.

A third is writing. I pray by writing my prayer in my journal. Fr. Philip Rinaldi (The cause of his canonization has been introduced.) used to pray for his inten-tions by writing them on a piece of paper and putting them under the statue of Mary, Help of Christians.

And then there is the common mode of praying: mental and oral. St. Teresa of Avila has this advice to give to those who have trouble praying mentally (medita-tion and contemplation): pray using the traditional formula prayers (Our Father) or those prayers composed by

What are the traditional kinds of prayer?

They are ACTS. Adoration, Contri-tion, Thanksgiving and Supplication.

Adoration is acknowledging God as God. This was what Job did when he prayed: “The Lord has given. The Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Contrition is saying sorry. The act of contrition during confession is an exam-ple. The penitential rite during the Mass is another example. In our community, we pray the rosary walking up and down the corridor after washing the dishes after supper. After the Hail Holy Queen, the leader says: “Examination of Conscience.” After a few moments of silence, we pray the act of contrition.

Thanksgiving is saying thank you. Morning and evening prayers are oppor-tunities for giving thanks. In the morning we thank God for being alive. At the end of the day, we thank God for the blessings received. Perhaps we are guilty of not saying “thank you” to God often enough.

And finally, there is supplication. Supplications are petitions and requests made to God and through the intercession of those on earth, in heaven and in purgatory. I bet we don’t run out of prayer of supplication.

Why did I talk about all this?

We don’t enjoy food that is tasteless. To make food tasty we sometimes have to add spices and condiments such as pepper, or salt, or patis (fish sauce), or toyo (soy sauce), catsup and vinegar.

To enjoy our prayer, to give life to our prayer, it might help if we were to add some condiments to our prayer. The modes of praying and the kinds of prayer might do just that.

Why don’t you experiment? See what works for you. Do it today.

Buon appetito!

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Martha had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.

Lk 10:38-42

EXEGESIS

Jesus entered a village.
This is probably Bethany.

Where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary.
Not mentioned here is their brother Lazarus whom Jesus loved dearly.

(Mary) sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
This is the posture of the disciple. What is unusual here is for a woman to be sitting down listening to a rabbi. This was for men. In the gospel of Luke, woman are on equal footing with men.

“Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?"
I sense self-pity here and 'tampo' as well.

Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.
Listening to God's Word (not just his words) is the better part.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

She had a sister named Marywho sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him.

We might be so taken up with life’s concerns (which are valid, by the way) that there is no time to listen neither to God nor to our loved ones. We are asked to re-structure our life so that time is given to God and to our loved ones.

Some suggestions regarding listening to God:
1. Buy a bible or even just NT for starters. I suggest the New American Bible or Today’s English Version (Good News for Modern Man). Find 10 minutes to read the bible. The 10 minutes should be at the same time every day.
2. If you have an MP3 player download a guided meditation on the Word of God from Monday to Friday. Get it from the site named: Pray as you go. Use google to get to the site.
3. If you have a PDA, you may download the text to help you reflect on the Word of God. The reflection covers the entire week, from Monday to Sunday. Get it from the site named: Sacred Space. Again, use google to get to the site.

Some suggestion regarding to listening to your loved ones.
1. The late media man (Bautista) said that once a week after supper, there is the family time when everyone can say what he wants to say or ask.
2. Stephen Covey sets aside an hour every week for a child.
3. For spouses, set a date. Your children are not welcome to that date.

Lord, do you not care.

Is it bad to complain to God? No. No. No. Complaining to God might be a sign of openness. If that is so, then complaining to God might be a sign of trust. It means you are not afraid to tell God how you feel because you know God will not take revenge on you.

St. Teresa of Avila was upset that she couldn’t get across the swollen river. She was on her way for an official visit to one of her convents. And she told God what she felt in no uncertain terms. God replied by saying that was the way he treated his friends. St. Teresa was quick to reply: “Now I understand why you have so few friends.”

However, if all you do is complain, that might be sign also that there is some-thing wrong with you.

Tell her to help me.

Sometimes we may find ourselves dictating to God what he should do. For heaven’s sake, the Lord knows what he is doing. If I were God, I would tell those who are telling me what to do: “Ano ba! Mas marunong ka pa sa akin!” (What’s wrong with you. It’s as if you know better than me.”)

There are times when we tell every body about our complaint except the person concerned. What Martha should have done is to tell Mary, “Please help me. Kulang ang katawan ko sa paghahanda ng kakanin ng ating mga bisita.” (Literally, my one body is not enough to prepare the meal for our guests.)

Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.

Lest we misunderstand Jesus, we have to state what Jesus did not mean and what he meant.

Jesus did not mean that Martha should stop preparing the meal. This was a teaching moment. And Jesus just took advantage of that moment to highlight the importance of listening to him. And because listening to him is important, we have to give time to it.


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

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”

Lk 10:25-37

EXEGESIS

What must I do to inherit eternal life?

This question was put to Jesus in order to test him. The answer was: love God and love your neighbour. But there was also another instance when Jesus was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” And this was also meant to test Jesus. And the answer he gave was the same: love God and love your neighbor. This came to be known as the two-fold commandment of love.

Two-fold commandment of love

The first part of the commandment is taken from what is known as the Shema. “Hear, O Israel! The Lord alone is our God. You shall love….” It is found in Dt. 6:4-9. The Moslems have a similar declaration: “There is only one God and he is Allah and Mohammad is his prophet.”

What is significant with the Shema is that we are asked to love God with our heart, being, strength and mind. What does this mean? Heart, being, strength and mind constitute the whole person. We are, therefore, asked to love God with a personal love. The following are examples of personal love: the love between friends; the love between husband and wife; the love between parent and child; the love between siblings. We are called to love God in a similar fashion.

The second part is to love your neighbor as yourself. Let’s re-word it. Love your neighbor in the same way that you love yourself. Therefore, Christianity doesn’t only teach us to love others. It teaches us to love ourselves, too. In fact, the further implication is that chronologically and logically we have to love ourselves first.

And who is my neighbor?

How do we interpret this question? The scholar is asking Jesus to tell him how his fellowman should behave so he becomes a neighbor. In other words, being neighbor is the responsibility of the other and not of oneself.

By narrating the parable Jesus is telling the scholar that he got it all wrong. Being neighbor is not the responsibility of one’s fellowman. Being neighbor is one’s responsibility. That was why the question of Jesus at the end was: Who behaved as a neighbor to robbery victim? And the answer was: the one who showed him mercy.

This reminds me of a story recounted by a priest a long time ago. He said that he was riding a motorbike and he met an accident. People came to him. But to his surprise he felt someone taking his watch. That person was there not to help him but to rob him!

The Priest and the Levite

Let us not be harsh with the priest and the Levite. They did not even come near the victim. But it was not because they were heartless. The priest and the Levite were on their way to Jerusalem to serve at the Temple. If they touched the victim and he turned out to be dead, they would be unclean. Once unclean they can not serve in the Temple. They can not serve God. For them God comes first. So they have a point. They were probably acting in good faith.

However, Jesus teaches us that in these situations when a fellowman is in need of our help, our fellowman should be helped.

The Samaritan

St. Luke likes to make the Samaritan the good guy, the hero. When Jesus healed the 10 lepers, only one came back to say thank you. And he was a Samaritan. This is unusual. The expected hero and good guy would be the Jew and the Samaritan would be the bad guy. It’s like in the movies. When Americans and Russians fight, who wins? The Americans, of course. When the Filipinos and the Japanese fight in WWII? Who are the presented as the good guys. The Filipinos, of course.

Why did St. Luke present the Samaritan as the good guy when he told the parable before his fellow Jews? Perhaps it was to unsettle his hearers. He wanted to rattle them. He wanted them to think. And that is what a parable is supposed to do. Parables are not merely to entertain. They are not just to teach a lesson. They are meant to challenge and provoke the listeners. And that was what probably happened when Jesus recounted the parable before his Jewish audience.

REFLECTIONS

My homily takes its inspiration from the opening verse of the Gospel: “There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him.”

For what was the scholar of the law testing Jesus? I think that the scholar wanted to know how good a rabbi Jesus was. He would know that by the answer Jesus gives to his question. One purpose of the test is, therefore, to find out something.

The test in school is to find out how much or how little the student knows about the things he should know. The board exam for the nurses is to find out whether the nurses have sufficient knowledge with regards to the care of patients. In mechanical engineering, there is the metals testing laboratory. One instrument for example is meant to find out the tensile strength of metals, that is, how much pull a metal can withstand before it breaks.

There is one test that we all go through again and again. But we don’t see it as a test. And that test is temptation.

Temptation as test is not for God to know something about us. Because God knows everything, he doesn’t need temptation to reveal anything new about us. Temptation as test enables us to know more about ourselves. Somebody says that everyone has his price. It was said that some judges issue TRO’s for a price. In the face of a bribe, a judge can learn something about himself.

Let us not boast, however, of being untouched by corruption. I got to know someone who was working at the customs. And he said that he has not been involved in any corruption. I congratulated him. But he was honest and sincere enough to say, “Don’t congratulate me. It’s just because no one has so far offered me a bribe.” Let us not be too sure of ourselves. We might not have fallen into certain sins not because we are good and strong but because we have not been exposed yet to any temptation regarding that particular sin.

Should we seek out temptation in order to test ourselves? Of course, not. That would be pride. When we purposely seek out temptation, we are in fact setting up ourselves for a fall. A Saint once saw a hardened criminal being led to execution. His reaction was: “There go I but for the grace of God.” Another Saint at the beginning of the day would pray: “Lord, lay your hand upon me that I may not stray from your paths.”

The sensible course of action would then be to avoid the sources of temptation or what we call the “occasions of sin”. There are four sources: people, places, things and events. Bad companions or BI’s are sources. The home when nobody is around might be a source of temptation for young unmarried couples. Some schools have banned cellphones because they are a source of temptation. Concerts in schools can be occasions of sin, too. It’s not the concert itself really but places in the campus during the concert.

But temptations will come no matter how careful we are. That’s just the way it is. How do we make ourselves strong against temptation? St. John Bosco proposes a sacramental spirituality. He insisted on going to communion AND confession. He said that communion and confession are the two wings with which we fly to heaven. In my opinion, communion and confession are not primarily for the saints. I believe that Jesus gave these two sacraments primarily for us who desire to be good but find ourselves failing now and again in the face of temptations.

Let me leave you with a statement that to me is very encouraging. It goes this way. Saints are sinners who kept on trying. Saints are sinners who kept on trying. We may fall in the face of temptation. But let us not give up. Let’s stand up and keep on trying.


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

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.
Lk 10:1-12, 17-20

Graphics taken from the blog, His Time

At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.
As John the Baptist prepared the way of Jesus, so also now the seventy-two disciples.

The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.
The number of workers for the kingdom was not enough in Jesus’ time. It’s still not enough today. And the number of those entering the seminaries have dwindled rather than increase.

Behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
With the exception of John the Apostle, all were martyred for the faith. It is no easier today in the strict Muslim countries.

Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals.
The advice is travel light. It’s like the backpackers of today. Why travel light? Because they were itinerant preachers. They preached about the kingdom from town to town.

Greet no one along the way.
This task of preaching the kingdom of God is urgent. You can not allow your-self to be detained.

Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
The disciples might be tempted to look for better food and lodging and in do-ing so forget about their mission of preaching the kingdom.

The laborer deserves his payment.
Those who serve the kingdom have a right to be supported by those they serve. In the OT priests and Levites of the Temple had a share in the offerings.

Cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’
It was the common belief that sickness was caused by evil spirits. Curing the sick means driving evil spirits. The presence of the kingdom is shown by the expulsion of these evil sprits.

Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’
When the Jews of the Diaspora (Jews dispersed outside Palestine) would return to the Promised Land, especially on pilgrimage, they would stop at the boundery, take off their sandals and shake the dust. The dust of pagan countries could not be allowed to infect the dust of the Holy Land.

By shaking the dust from their sandals, the disciples would be declaring the town on par with pagans, and excluded from the kingdom.

Introduction

I remember long ago my mother was in the family way. One evening she and dad asked me what name would I want to give my unborn sibling if she were a girl. I thought for a moment. And because I loved chocolate, I said: "Baby Ruth".

Of course she was not named Baby Ruth. Names and giving names are serious business.

In the Bible

It is the father who gives the name of a child. It is not just giving a name. Giving the name means that the father acknowledges that the child is his. By writing on the tablet "John is his name," Zechariah declared the child to be his.

But we must remember that the name John was not decided by Zechariah. It was given by God through the angel Gabriel. This means that God was setting aside John for a mission. The name Jesus too was not decided upon by Joseph and Mary. Again it was given by God through Gabriel. God was not only setting aside Jesus for a mission (Savior of the world) but was also acknowledging him as his Son. Later on God would say, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”

It is also in view of a mission that a person is given a new name. Abram became Abraham. He will be the father of many nations. Simon became Peter because on this rock Jesus will build his church.

In the book of the prophet Isaiah, God says: "See I have written you on the palm of my hands." What does that mean? Several times I have witnessed people asking for the tel. no. of someone. There is a ball pen but no paper. What to do? They write on the palm of their hands. What does it mean for God to write our name on the palm of his hand? It means that God will always remember us. He will never forget us.

Names and Name-giving in our Society

There was a rumor (and this was along time ago) that Rico Puno was courting Tillie Moreno. But Tillie Moreno finally told Rico Puno that she could never marry him. "But why?" Rico Puno asked. Tillie Moreno replied with that "Don't you get it?" look: "If I marry you, how will I be called? Mrs. Tillie Puno. And before you know it, they'd be calling me Mrs. Telepono."

Names are not mere labels. They are meaninful. Martin Sheen changed his family name to Sheen to honor Archbishop Fulton Sheen. When John Paul II visited the Philippines, many parents called their baby boys John Paul in honor of the late pope.

In old orders of men and women religious, they change their name or get a second name when they make their religious profession. I think that the Benedictines do that. John would get the name of Dom Martin, for example. A change in name or getting a second name reminds the person that now he has different kind of life.

I still think that there is sense to naming a child after a Saint, not necessarily the saint on the day he or she was born. What is the significance of giving the name of a Saint to a child? There are two. The first is this. The saint becomes a role model. The second is this. The saint be-comes a protector and intercessor of the child. These are also two of the reasons why the Church proclaims a man or a woman a Saint.

Family names

You don't only have a first name. You also have family name. It identifies you as belonging to a clan.

If you belong to a clan who are doctors, you would be pressured to become a doctor yourself. That is the downside. But if you really want to become a doctor, it's so much easier for you, even just from the psychological point of view.

Sometimes a person may not want to carry his real family name and this, for a good reason. The family name of Nicholas Cage is not Cage but Copola. Francis Ford Copola is his uncle. Why did he change his family name to Cage? Because he wanted it to be said that if he succeeds as an actor, it is because he is really a good actor and not because of his uncle, Francis Ford Copola.

If you ask parents what they want to bequeath to their children, you would in-variably hear "a good education" and not surprisingly, "a good name". A good name is like a charm. If you were a Sycip, it would be easy for you to be trusted in the corporate world. For Washington Sycip is highly respected for his integrity. It is a privilege to be born a Sycip. But it is also a responsibility. You have the responsibility of making sure that Sycip continues to be identified with integrity.

We have a "family" name that we might be taking for granted. And that is "Catholic". Do you wear it as a badge of honor? Or is it just a label that you put when filling up forms?

Do you feel the responsibility of living up to the demands of being a Catholic? Or it is something not worth our attention and concern? Once it pained me to hear an owner of a fleet of taxis say that they prefer to hire drivers from a certain sect because they were honest. The owner herself felt bad about that.

Conclusion

There are three concrete things that we can do.
1. Find out who you were named after. If it is after a Saint, get to know who this Saint was. Find out his outstanding qualities and try to imitate at least one of these qualities. If it is in honor of a certain person, do the same. Find out his outstanding qualities. Imitate at least one of these.
2. You belong to a clan. It is not enough not to give a bad name to your clan. Be proactive. Do something that will bring honor to your clan.
3. You are a Catholic. By word and action, live up to your identity as a Catholic.



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

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village.

Lk 9:51-62

The gospel is of two parts. The first part is about the refusal of a Samaritan village to give hospitality to Jesus and his disciples. The second part is about discipleship.

When the days for Jesus’ being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem.
Being taken up refers not only to his ascension into heaven but also he’s be-ing raised on the cross. Resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem means that Jesus is resolutely determined to obey his Father’s will which is to die on the cross.

On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.
When Israel as a nation was exiled to Babylon, some were left behind. The Babylonians transplanted other peoples to Canaan. The remaining Israelites inter-married with these newcomers. The result was not only mixed race but a Jewish religion that was infected with the religion of these newcomers. As a result when the Israelite nation returned from the Babylonian exile, they refused to recognize the mixed race. Animosity developed. The Samaritans built their own temple on Mt. Gerizim to rival the temple in Jerusalem. This animosity explains why many Jews from Galilee skirted Samaria when they would go down to Jerusalem. And this also explains why the Samaritan village refused to give them hospitality.

When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village.
James and John were brothers. Zebedee was their father. They were called “sons of thunder” perhaps because of their impulsiveness—which is what we witness here. It is worth nothing how confident they were in the power of Jesus to give them the ability of destroying the Samaritan village.

The reaction of Jesus proves the words of Jesus: “The Son of Man did not come to condemn the world, but to save it.” Jesus did not come to destroy but to save.

We come now to the second part which is about discipleship. Disciple comes from a Latin word which means to follow. Hence, a disciple is a follower. In this instance, the disciple of Jesus is he/she who bears the name “Christian”.

“Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”
Jesus was an itinerant preacher. He was an NPA, no permanent address. He moved from village to village. When someone volunteered to follow up, Jesus up front tells him that life with him won’t be easy.

Let the dead bury their dead.
This seems to be saying that means “Don’t follow me, if you are hesitating.” Jesus demands 100% commitment from his followers.

No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.
If you plow and keep looking back, the furrows you make will be crooked. You can not be a disciple if you keep on regretting the things that you had to sac-rifice in order to be a disciple. Again Jesus demands 100% commitment.

LESSONS FOR LIFE

Jesus with his disciples in tow was making a journey to Jerusalem. I would like to use the paradigm of a journey to learn or re-learn lessons about life.

Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem by stages. Psychologists have identified several stages of life. The first few years of life are critical. The word of adults can de-stroy a child. Tell a child that his drawing is awful and he will never draw again. Tell a child that he is stupid and he will grow up convinced that he is stupid. In his letter, St. James went so far as to say that the tongue is like a flame whose fire comes from hell.
Conversely, we need external validation. We need to hear that we’re OK, that we’re doing well, that we are appreciated. Those studying to become teachers are taught in educational psychology that praise gets more results than blame. There should be more praise than blame. External validation is critical in the growing years so that the child will develop self-esteem. But we all need it. Don’t you feel good when you receive an affirmation? And it doesn’t cost you anything to give someone a tap on the shoulder and say: “Congratulations.” By the way, when you are praised for an accomplishment, what is the correct response? Don’t say: “Chamba lang yun.” Sino niloloko mo? Say, “Thank you.”

When you are on a hike, it is important to have a compass. If you get lost and you don’t have a compass, chances are you’ll just be walking in circles. You get nowhere. It’s so sad when a person has no direction in life. When a student keeps on shifting courses, he probably doesn’t know where he is going. God has a plan for each one of us. It is for us to discover what that is. Why? Because when we carry out that plan, we fulfil the meaning of our existence. When you feel fulfilled, you also feel happy. Tony Meloto of Gawad Kalinga might be ene of the happiest persons on earth.

Sometimes the journey is long. Sometimes it is short. St. Dominic Savio did not even live to celebrate his 15th birthday. It really doesn’t matter. What matters is not how many years there are in your life. What matters is how much life you have put into your years. St. Iraeneus agrees. He says: “The glory of God is a man fully alive.”

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

Birth of St. John the Baptist

He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,”
Lk 1:57-66. 80

Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her.

The birth of John the Baptist was a joyful event two times over. First, Eliza-beth was childless. That condition was a curse and a shame. With the birth of the child, the curse and the shame were taken away.

Second, like other cultures boys were preferred to girls. The birth of a boy was another source of joy.

When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name.”

In the book of Exodus, circumcision became the external sign of membership in God’s chosen people. It was a religious ceremony that took place 8 days after the birth of a boy.

It was also on this occasion that the boy was given his name. The act of naming is the privilege of the father. Naming is an act by which the father recognizing the baby as his. Neither Zechariah nor Elizabeth named the child. John was the name given by God through the angel Gabriel. God was setting apart the child for himself. God was giving John the Baptist the mission of preparing the way of Jesus Christ.

Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors.

Because Zechariah did not put faith in the words of the angel Gabriel, he was punished. He became dumb. But with the fulfillment of God’s promise, the punishment was lifted. He could now speak.

And his first words were a prayer of blessing which came to be known as the Benedictus. The title is taken from the first word of the prayer which is “Blessed” – “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel.” Blessed in Latin is Benedictus. The Benedictus is essentially a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God.

The reaction of the people was one of fear. But it is not the fear that arises in front of something frightening. The better word would be awe (pagkamangha) which would be the reaction in front of a spectacular deed. In this case, it was God’s hand surrounding the birth of John the Baptist.

Message

1. Childless. Difficult pregnancy. There are couples who are unable to con-ceive a child. Some avail of expensive medical intervention. Others choose to adopt a child. Still others go to Obando, hoping to obtain a miracle. St. Dominic Savio is an unofficial patron saint of couples who are unable to conceive or moth-ers experiencing a difficult pregnancy. Wear a medal of St. Dominic Savio and make a novena. You don’t have to have any official prayers. Your own words will do.

2. Prayer. Often we equate praying with asking. But that is not so. Traditionally there are four kinds of prayer--ACTS. A is adoration. C is contrition. T is thanksgiving. And S is supplication.

3. Raising a boy. McCann Ericson did a study of men in Metro Manila. The study reveals that a great number of men are Mama's boy. Four practicing clinical psychologists agree. And they quickly add that that is bad news because a man who is unable to tear himself from his mommy's skirt will probably be neither a good husband nor a good father. He will probably not be a good husband because the mother not the wife who will continue to exert a powerful influence in his life. He will probably not be a good father because he will not be able to model to his children how a man should related to his wife and to his mother.

For mothers. When your son enters puberty, be the one to draw back and let your son bond with his father. Sons are not yet emotionally mature to “leave” you and put himself under the mentorship of his father.

For fathers. Bond with your son and mentor him. Bonding means creat-ing an emotional attachment. Mentoring means teaching him how to be a man, to be an adult, to be a husband and to be a father.

Your involvement at the various transitions in his life is critical. Circumcision can be a powerful ritual that signifies that the phase of learning to be a man under the tutelage of his father has begun. Learning to drive can be another rite of pas-sage as in the US. You yourself can teach your son not only how to drive but also discipline, responsibility and service. Another important transition is marriage. You should prepare your son for that important step and then give him your support in the early years of his married life.

And finally, many fathers forget this. And yet it is so important. A son craves for his father’s approval. He must hear it from your lips. A man wrote about his father who he felt was emotionally distant. That created a gaping hole in his heart. At his deathbed, his father called for him. He gestured for his son to come closer. His father held his hand and looking at him with tenderness, said, “Son, I am proud of you and I am happy to have you as my son.” The man wept. All his life he was longing for his father’s approval.

Conclusion

Parenting is a great privilege and a grave responsibility. Fathers and mothers, don't do it alone. You can’t really do it alone. Learn to fall on your knees and pray for yourselves and your children.

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

Eleventh Sunday in Orindary Time (C)

He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Lk 7:36-50

Exegesis

Now there was a sinful woman in the city.
The woman is not named. Some translations say that the woman was of ill-repute. It is commonly assumed that she was a prostitute. Furthermore, this woman has wrongly been identified as Mary Magdalene because the gospel say that Jesus cast out 7 demons from her. But this probably meant that Jesus cured her of a grave sickness. Take note that it was commonly believed that evil spirits caused sickness.

Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment
The alabaster flask is an expensive container. We assume that the ointment or perfume it contains is expensive, too. This implies that the sinful woman held Je-sus in high regard. You don’t give cheap things to people you consider important.

She stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Did the sinful woman weep for sorrow or for joy? Probably both. Don Bosco wrote in the biography of Mickey Magone that on his first confession, Mickey cried because he realized how many sins he had committed. But at the end of his confession, he cried again. But this time it was because his heart could not contain the joy and peace he felt.

Then she wiped them with her hair
In her culture to let her hair loose was immodest.

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.”
She knew that she had a bad reputation in that town. But she didn't give a damn about what people will say.

Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet…
It was the custom that servants wash the feet of guests and that the host greet them with a kiss. And if they were special guests and the host was wealthy enough, the guests were anointed with perfume. All this Simon did not give to Jesus. Unlike the sinful woman, Simon did not hold Jesus in high regard.

A Problem

Was the sinful woman forgiven because she showed great love? Or did she show great love because she was forgiven?

The parable holds the key. The one who had a bigger debt loved the creditor more. In the same way the woman who was aware of her great sinfulness was for-given and because of that showed a corresponding great gratitude.

Jesus and Simon

Simon was a Pharisee and therefore, was a strict observer of the Law. He was right in disapproving her way of life. But his attitude was worthy of reproach. He loathed the woman like a leper.

Jesus did not take sin lightly. Remember the woman caught in adultery? Jesus told her: “From now on sin no more.” But Jesus was compassionate in contrast to Simon. Why? Jesus himself said that the Son came not to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through him.

Story

PDI has a regular column entitled, “Young Blood”. One contributor wrote that her boyfriend got her pregnant. She was very confused. She didn’t know what to do. Her boyfriend kept urging her to get an abortion because he was not in a position to marry her. She finally agreed to have an abortion.

But her conscience wouldn’t leave her alone. It bothered her. She couldn’t even enter a church because she felt too dirty to enter into the presence of God.

One day she could stand it no longer. She went to church to confess. She was afraid the priest would scold her. Instead, she was received with kindness. The priest made her feel that God had forgiven her. She had been crying all the time. But this time she was crying for joy. God had forgiven her.

Conclusion

Is there something bothering you? Is your conscience carrying a heavy bur-den? Are you in search of peace? The sinful woman found peace in the forgive-ness of Jesus. You, too, can find peace in the forgiveness of Jesus.

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

Corpus Christi (C)

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

Introduction

There used to be an advice column in the Philippine Star that I used to read. In one of her columns I was surprised to read a statement to the effect that the Eucharist is merely a symbol of the presence of Jesus Christ. She probably was not a Catholic. Or if she were, her ignorance is appalling.

If indeed the Eucharist is merely a symbol, how would explain the death of St. Tarcisius? He has been called the martyr of the Eucharist. In those days when being a Christian was a capital crime, Tarcisius was tasked to being the Eucharist to those Christians who were about to be executed. On the way he was accosted by some Roman youths who noticed he was carrying something inside his tunic. They wanted him to hand over the Eucharist. He refused. Angered by his refusal, they beat him up and left him dying. If the Eucharist was merely a symbol, why would he defend the Eucharist with his life?

Theology

How can bread and wine become changed into Jesus Christ? This question is similar to the question of the Jews in John 6 who complained: “How can this man give us his flesh to eat and his blood to drink?”

Jesus demanded faith. He wanted his hearers to accept what he said because he was the one who said it. In fact, he did not stop his disciples from leaving him when they couldn’t understand how he could give his flesh and blood as food and drink.

Nevertheless theologians have tried to use philosophy to gain some under-standing. But our acceptance of the Eucharist is not based on the explanation of theologians but on Jesus Christ. By the way, theology has been described as faith seeking understanding (fides quaerens intellectu).

The change from bread and wine to the Person of Jesus Christ is called transubstantiation. Substance is defined as that which makes a thing what it is. At the moment of consecration the substance of bread and wine is transformed into the Divine Substance of Jesus Christ.

Why does it still look like bread and wine and taste like bread and wine? Because the consecration does not alter the accidents of bread and wine. ‘Accident’ does not mean ‘mishap’. In philosophy accident is that which is not essential. Color is an accident. The color of your skin, for example, is an accident. Whether you are white, black, red, yellow or brown does not make you less human.

But there is a reason why the accidents of bread and wine do not change. Jesus said that his flesh and blood is to be food and drink. Consequently, the appearance of the Eucharist must remain that of food and drink, that is, the appear-ance of bread and wine.

The Spirituality of St. John Bosco

In simple terms spirituality is the way we nourish and live our faith. One characteristic of Don Bosco’s spirituality is that it is sacramental. He gave importance to confession and communion. He used to say: Confession and communion are the two wings with which you fly to heaven.

Don Bosco said that it is important that God should be the first one ahead of the devil to take possession of our heart. That is why Don Bosco insisted that when a child is able to distinguish between ordinary bread and communion, he should be allowed make his first communion. Of course, the child should have a serious preparation. He also said that you should not force the young to receive communion. But you should give him the possibility of doing so. Also, the young will develop the love for the Eucharist from the example of his parents.

When Don Bosco faced some difficulty, he would ask his boys to go and pray for his intentions before the tabernacle. He used to say: “Do you want many graces? Visit the Blessed Sacrament often. Do you want only a few graces? Visit the Blessed Sacrament only a few times. The adoration chapel in our parishes are sacred spaces that are so conducive to prayer.

Don Bosco said that communion is the bread that makes us strong. How many of us here want to be bad people? And yet are we always good? Do we always do the right thing? Why is it that now and then we find ourselves committing sin? Is it because we are bad people? Or is it because we are weak? Don Bosco believed that communion is not only for saints. It is for us who want to be good but fail because we are week. By the way, if we have committed a mortal sin we should go to confession first before receiving communion. If we only have venial sins we can receive communion. Of course, we should be sorry for the venial sins we have committed.

Conclusion

In summary
- Parents, encourage your children to receive communion as often as possible. But be examples yourselves.
- Are you worried? Are you afraid? Are you carrying a heavy burden. Bring all of them to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
- Gusto kong bumaet pero di ko magawa. Go to communion as often as you can because communion is the bread that makes us strong.

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