2ND SUNDAY OF LENT (C)

His face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.

Lk 9: 28b-36

GOSPEL EXPLANATION

About eight days after he said this….

What happened eight days before the Transfiguration? Jesus and his disciples were at Caesarea Philippi. There Jesus asked them who people think he was. And then he asked them who they think he was. Peter answered for all of them: You are the Christ of God! Immediately Jesus told them that he would suffer and die but on the third day, would rise again.

With the words “eight days after”, St. Luke wanted to connect the Transfiguration with Peter’s profession of faith in Jesus and Jesus’ prophecy about his death and resurrection. Where was the connection? At the Transfiguration Jesus gave a glimpse of his glory as the Christ of God and of the glory of his resurrected body. St. Luke said that “his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.”

He took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray.

Jesus went up the mountain to meet his Father in prayer. As Satan was believed to dwell in the desert, so God was believed to dwell on the mountain. Tradition identifies Mt. Tabor as the mountain of the Transfiguration. Mt. Hermon is the other possible location of the Transfiguration.

This was no ordinary prayer. It was a decisive moment in his life, similar to the Baptism at the Jordan and his sojourn in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. There at Mt. Tabor Jesus faced once more the temptation to accept the cross or to reject it and find another way to save mankind. How do we know this? Luke says that he spoke with Moses and Elijah about his exodus – his passion, death, resurrection, and ascension.

This temptation to accept or reject the cross will be repeated for the last time at Gethsemane. There as here Peter, John and James were present. Here they were perhaps present so that having seen the glory of Jesus, they would not lose faith when they see Jesus crucified. On the other hand, they were near Jesus at Gethsemane so that Jesus may find moral support in them as his arrest drew near.

Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.

Did Peter have in mind the Tent of Meeting during Israel’s stay in the desert? It was the dwelling place of God among the Israelites. In Exodus (25: 8-9) we read: “They shall make a sanctuary for me, that I may dwell in their midst. This Dwelling and all its furnishings you shall make exactly according to the pattern that I will now show you.”

Or did Peter mention the tents because he wanted all of them remain at Mt. Tabor and relish this moment forever?

Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my chosen Son; listen to him."

The cloud and the voice manifested the presence of the Father who Jesus had met in prayer.

With the words “This is my chosen Son; listen to him” St. Luke also connects the Transfiguration with the Baptism at the Jordan. At his Baptism the Father presented Jesus as Son and as Servant of Yahweh (Is 42:1). Here at the Transfiguration Jesus is presented as the Prophet that all must listen to (Acts 3:22; Dt. 18:15). Moses spoke of this Prophet. He said: “A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you from among your own kinsmen; to him you shall listen.”

1ST SUNDAY OF LENT (C)

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil.

Lk 4: 1-13

The Holy Spirit came down on Jesus at his baptism. The same Spirit is with him as he begins to carry out his mission.

The desert is not a desert of sand but of rocks. Hence, it can also be called a wilderness. It is believed to be the home of Satan. By going to the wilderness, Jesus begins the war against the devil. The battle between Jesus and the devil takes the form of temptation.

He ate nothing during those days.

As Jesus fasted 40 days in the wilderness, so we also fast during Lent, a period of 40 days.
Somehow fasting disposes us to prayer. It also strengthens us against tempta-tion, probably by strengthening our will power and self-discipline.

The gospel narrates the three temptations of Jesus. All of them are basically the same. The devil was trying to make Jesus choose a way of saving mankind different from the way willed by the Father. The Father wanted Jesus to save mankind through the cross. The devil, on the other hand, was trying to convince Jesus to save mankind through a show of power and glory.

If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.

At his baptism, the Father declared to Jesus: “You are my beloved son.” Now the devil tells Jesus: “If you are the Son of God, then you must possess extra-ordinary powers. Show your power by turning these stones into bread. Then people will follow you.”

The devil was tempting Jesus to not follow the way of the cross but the promise of material things

“I shall give to you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me.”

The devil was offering political power to Jesus. With political power, Jesus would be a Messiah who would chase away the Romans and restore the kingdom of Israel. But if he were to take the path of political power, Jesus would be the Messiah of the Zealots instead of the Messiah sent by the Father.

“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and: With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.”

People will follow you if they are convinced that you are from God. You can do that if you jump from the top of the Temple into the Kidron Valley below and then come out unharmed. But if you end up suffering and dying on the cross, how can people ever be convinced that you come from God?

OVERCOMING TEMPTATION AND SIN

Jesus models for us what Lent should be. It should be a time of spiritual combat against the devil. It should be a time of victory over the devil. During this time we should not fall into sin and instead, overcome temptation.

To win we must have a strategy. We must identify our weak spot and then guard it.

We need to identify our weak spots because that will be the target of the devil. Is my temper my weak spot? Is it my tongue? Perhaps my flesh is weak? Or is it my pride?

Once we identify our weak spot, we have guard it against the attacks of the devil. Guarding our weak spot means being alert. For example, if my weak spot is my temper, then I have to be conscious when I am getting angry. Once I am conscious that I am getting angry, I will be ready to control myself. If I am not conscious of my temper, then I will not be ready to control my anger. Then my anger would get hold of me and I am bound to say or do hurtful things.

But this is not enough. We need reinforcement. Reinforcement means streng-thening our defenses. There are three things we can make use of in order to fortify ourselves against temptation and sin: confession, prayer and sacrifice.

1. Sacraments. They are traditionally called channels of grace. Confession is not only a channel of the grace of forgiveness. It is not only a channel of sanctifying grace. It is also a channel of actual grace, that is, through confession God comes to help me overcome temptation and sin. After a good confession, it really feels a lot easier to be good.

2. Prayer. In time of temptation we should rush to God for help. We should say a little prayer. In the Life of St. Anthony of Egypt we are told that he went as a youth to live the life of a hermit. There the devil assaulted him with all kinds of temptation. But according to his biography he did not fall because of his great faith and constant prayers. But by prayer we are not only referring to prayer at the moment of temptation. We are also talking about the general attitude of prayer which means giving time to get in touch with God throughout the day.

3. Sacrifice or penance. It means giving up something that we like. It means going against our desires. In this way we strengthen the muscles of our will o will power. Giving up smoking during the Lenten season can be tough for most people. If they manage to say ”no” to cigarettes, then they probably will have enough will power to say “no” to the temptations of the devil.

CONCLUSION

Lent is a time of spiritual combat. If we are to defeat the devil, then we need to identify our weak spot and guard it against his attacks. We also need reinforcement: confession, prayer and sacrifice.
We are not alone in this spiritual combat. The Holy Spirit was with Jesus. The Holy Spirit is also with us. He was given to us in Baptism and Confirmation. To-gether we can do it.

6th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.

Lk 6:17, 20-26

GOSPEL EXPLANATION

Comparison between Matthew and Luke

Matthew                                                                           Luke
Sermon on the Mount                                                         Sermon on the plain8 Beatitudes                                                                          4 Beatitudes and 4 Woes
Blessed are the poor in spirit                                               Blessed are the poor 
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness      Blessed are you who are now hungy

Blessing in Disguise

The prevailing thought at the time was that affliction and sorrow were punishment due to sin. Jesus now says that they are blessings in disguise. 

But for who are they blessings in disguise? For the Anawim! They are those people who lack material goods and therefore, who can rely only on God. We have to note that the Anawim are blessed not because they lack material goods but because they rely on God.

But it is also true to say that between the rich and the poor, the poor will feel the need for God. Between those who are who have nothing to eat and those who are always have something to eat, those who have nothing to eat will feel the need for God.

Are Christians then forbidden to become rich? No. But we are warned that when we become rich, it is easy to forget God.

There is another way of understanding the Beatitudes and the Woes.

If you set your heart on those things which the world values, you might indeed get them. But that is all that you will ever get. But if you set your heart on God and on the things of God, you may run into trouble, you may seem to be unfortunate in the eyes of the world, but much of your payment is still to come and it will be life eternal.

First, we must accept the fact the reward from God comes at the end. The reward is not on earth. It is in heaven.

Second, to receive that reward, you must not find contentment in the things of this world. If you find your contentment in the things of this world, then there will be no reward for you at the end because you have already received it in this world.

Does this mean that we shall not give importance to our life here on earth? Certainly not! Our life is God’s gift to us. But what we make of our life is our gift to God. Would it not be embarrassing if at the end, the life that we will offer to God would be a wasted life?

5TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.

Lk 5:1-11

GOSPEL EXPLANATION

“Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.”

Greek has two words for “master”: didaskalos and epistates. Here “epistates” is used by the disciples to convey their faith in the authority of Jesus. That was why Simon Peter obeyed the command of Jesus to cast the nets.

“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”

Now Simon calls Jesus “Lord” to indicate that he was aware that the authority of Jesus was divine. And in front of the hand of God, Peter became also aware of his being a sinful man.

...and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon.

In Luke the first disciples of Jesus were Simon Peter, James and his brother John. Andrew, the brother of Peter, has not yet been mentioned.

Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

The image and the trap were images used in the Old Testament for punishment. To be called fishers of men means that the mission of the Twelve was to help men avoid the coming punishment and enter the Kingdom of God.

They left everything and followed him.

In first century Judaism, those who followed a rabbi were expected to render him respect, obedience and service to their master (rabbi).

Following Jesus was different. (1) The disciples do not choose their master. It is the master who chooses the disciples. The disciples still owe the master their obedience. (2) The disciples were not only hearers but collaborators, witnesses and workers in the harvest. (3) The disciples do not just adhere to the teachings of the master but to the master himself. Jesus was not just like any rabbi. (4) Following Jesus meant carrying one’s cross.

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.

Lk 4:21-30

They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?”

The initial reaction of the people at hearing Jesus was amazement and praise. But this observation marked the change from acceptance of Jesus to rejection of Jesus. In other words, his “kababayan” realized that Jesus and his father were merely carpenters. How can Jesus pretend to be superior to them.

Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.

Nazareth was the native place of Jesus. Capernaum was the headquarters of the public ministry of Jesus.

They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.

The rejection of Jesus by his own people at Nazareth was a preview of the rejection of his own people, the Jewish people. They were not able to kill Jesus at Nazareth. But in Jerusalem they will succeed.

But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.

We do not know if the escape from death was miraculous. But it was important because for St. Luke, Jesus could not possibly die anywhere but in Jerusalem.

These words may appear comforting because Jesus managed to escape certain death. But these become frightening words if we see ourselves among the people from whom Jesus escaped. For it means that we are among those people who rejected Jesus. Rejection does not necessarily mean: “I don’t believe in you anymore.” Rejection can take subtle forms, such as failing to pay attention to him or forgetting him or living day by day as if he doesn’t exist.

THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.

Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21

GOSPEL EXPLANATION

The Gospel

St. Luke wrote his gospel for Theophilus (which means beloved of God) so that he may be convinced of the certainty of the teachings he has received. Others before him have the done the same, that is, to write a narrative of the events surrounding Jesus of Nazareth.

...just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us....

The Latin for handed down is "tradere" from which the English word "tradition" comes from. St. Luke asserts that the content of his gospel comes from tradition.

(He) went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day.

The Sabbath or Saturday is the Lord's Day for the Jews. They would go to the synagogue for a religious service. There would be reading from the Law or the Prophets and followed by a homily. Any Hebrew adult male can be called to do this service, but the leaders of the synagogue generally gave this task to an expert in Scriptures.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me....

This literarily took place at his baptism when the Holy Spirit appeared in bodily form similar to that of a dove.

...Because he has anointed me....

The anointing with oil happens at the consecration of a king, of a priest and of a prophet.

Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.

With the coming of Jesus the era of grace, announced by the prophets has begun.

STO. NINO

IMAGE

The image of the Santo Niño is the oldest religious image in the Philippines. The wooden image, made by Flemish artisans, was brought to the island by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, just like the Magellan cross. Magellan gave the image of the Santo Niño to Queen Juana as a baptismal gift.

Forty-four years later, in 1565, Cebu was for a big part destroyed by a fire. The fire was set on purpose by the Spaniards as a punishment for hostile activities of the Cebuanos. In one of the burned houses, a Spanish soldier found the image of Santo Niño. Remarkably unscathed! Since then, the miraculous image has been treated by the Cebuanos as its patron.

At present, the miraculous image is kept in the Parish convent, and only a replica, adorned with gold and precious stones and enshrined in glass, is hold inside the Basilica Minor del Santo.

CHURCH

The church was built near the place where the Santo Niño was found in the burned house. On this place the Spaniards built a church three times.

The first two times the church was built out of wood and nipa. Every time it was burned down. The construction of the present church dates from 1735.

In 1965 the church was given the title of "Basilica Minor del Santo Niño".

SINULOG

The Sinulog festival is one of the grandest, most distinguished and most colorful festivals in the Philippines. The major festival is held each year on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City to honor the Santo Niño, or the child Jesus. It is fundamentally a dance ritual which recalls the Filipino people's pagan past and their embrace of Christianity.

INFANT JESUS OF PRAGUE

Infant Jesus of Prague is a famous statue of the infant Jesus located in the Church of Our Lady of Victory in Malá Strana, Prague.

Its earliest history can be traced back to the year 1628 when a small, 48 centimeters in height, exquisite statue of wax Infant Jesus was brought into Bohemia by Polyxena von Lobkowitz. This princess had been given the statue as a wedding gift by her mother, Maria Manriquez de Lara of Spain, and the statue was given to the Discalced Carmelites in Prague. The statue was set upon the oratory of the monastery of Our Lady of Victory, Prague.

The center of devotion to the Infant Jesus of Prague is at the Benedictine church of San Beda in Mendiola.

in process

BAPTISM OF THE LORD

You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.

Lk 3:15-16, 21-22

GOSPEL EXPLANATION

I am baptizing you with water...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire. Hence, at Pentecost the Holy Spirit came as tongues of fire.

The baptism of John is not our Sacrament of Baptism. It does not confer the Holy Spirit. It does not cleanse from sin. It does not make us children of God.

The Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove.

The Holy Spirit became visible like the form of a dove, NOT in the bodily form of a dove. It’s like describing a bat. It looks like a flying mouse, but it is certainly not a mouse.

You are my beloved Son. With you I am well-pleased.

The mention of beloved son recalls Isaac. He was the beloved son of Abraham. God asked Abraham to offer his son Isaac on Mt. Moriah as a sacrifice. He was about to do that when an angel of the Lord stopped him. In the same way Jesus himself in sacrifice on Mt. Calvary.

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS

The Baptism of Jesus is the occasion for the Father to reveal Jesus as the Messiah. This is the second epiphany. Epiphany means manifestation of God. The first epiphany was the adoration of the Magi. There is a also a third, the miracle at Cana.

The Baptism of the Lord is not only the occasion of an epiphany. It also marks the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus among the people of Israel.

OUR BAPTISM

I shall explain some of the elements in the Rite of the Sacrament of Baptism: parents, ninong and ninang (godparents), water, formula of baptism, oil, white garment and candle.

Parents

In some places the parents are not present at baptism. The mother is busy preparing the food for the baptismal party while the father is on a drinking spree with his friends.But parents should be present because the child is going to be baptized in the faith of the parents and it will be their duty to raise the child as a good Catholic by word and example.

Ninong and Ninang (Godparents)

There should at least be one ninong or ninang who is chosen specifically to help the parents in raising the child to be a good Catholic. This ninong or ninang should therefore be a good Catholic and is willing to take this responsibility.

We should also understand the importance of the gift-giving role of godparents. Gifts make the child happy. Birthdays and Christmas become joyful occasions. A happy childhood is important for the healthy emotional growth of children.

Water

Water cleanses. We use it to wash dishes and clothes. We use it for bathing. The water of Baptism cleanses us of sin, both original sin and personal sin.

Water is necessary to sustain life. The human body is 60% water. The water of Baptism brings life. Those who are baptized are re-born as sons and daughters of God. They are not just given the label of God’s children. They really become his children.

I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

When a mother declares, “My Jeremy takes his studies seriously”, she declares Jeremy as her own. Being baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity means that God declares that we belong to him. God recognizes us as his own.

Oil of Catechumens

In the Old Testament oil was used to anoint kings, prophets and priests. The newly baptized is anointed with oil because he shares in the three-fold office of Jesus Christ, that of king, prophet and priest.

This priesthood is called baptismal priesthood to differentiate it from the minis-terial priesthood of those who are ordained. The ministerial priesthood gives to the ordained minister the power to celebrate the Mass. The baptismal priesthood gives to the baptized the right to participate in the Mass.

White garment

It signifies the new life of a child of God received in baptism as well as the cleansing from original sin and personal sin. It was said that when Constantine the Great was baptized toward the end of his life, he took great pride in wearing the white garment instead of his kingly robes.

Lighted candle 

It signifies the faith that in the future the child should live for all to see clearly. It also represents the light of Christ. The child no longer lives in the shadow of sin but in holiness.

CONCLUSION

Try this exercise at home.

While sitting at your desk, make clockwise circles with your right foot. While doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction.

In the same way as baptized Christians the life we lead must follow the faith we profess with our lips.

EPIPHANY

“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.”

Mt 2:1-12

GOSPEL EXPLANATION

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod...

This was Herod the Great. He had the right to be called "the Great" because he was the king who was able to bring some form of peace and order in Palestine. He was the builder of the Temple in Jerusalem. He could be compassionate. During the famine of 25BC, he melted his golden plate in order to buy corn for the starving people. But he could be cruel. He had 3 of his sons assassinated on suspicion that they were after his crown. Thus, we are not at all surprised that he was capable of the massacre of the Holy Innocents.

Behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem....

 The term "magi" has many meanings. The Persian priests were called "magi". Magicians were also called "magi". In this particular context the magi were probably astrologers. The mention of magi from the East in Matthew's infancy narrative was probably meant to contrast the unbelief and rejection of Jesus by the religious and political leaders of the people (Herod, the chief priests and the scribes) on the one hand, and the acceptance pagans in the person of the magi who adored the child of Bethlehem.

Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising.

 Matthew had in mind the Old Testament story of Balaam, who had prophesied that "A star shall advance from Jacob" (Numbers 24:17).

Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Incense and myrrh were the traditional riches and perfumes of Arabia. According to Isaiah(60:6)the Messiah would receive gifts from foreign nations,"Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; All from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the Lord."

3rd SUNDAY OF ADVENT (C)

The crowds asked John the Baptist,“What should we do?”

Lk 3:10-18

GOSPEL EXPLANATION

The gospel passage of today may be divided into two parts. The first part is about the answer of John the Baptist to the question: “What should we do?” The second part is about the Christ.

To the question, “What should we do?” John’s answer was to share one’s food and clothing. To the tax collectors, his response was to collect only what was prescribed. To the soldiers, he said that they should not to resort to extortion, and false accusation and that they should be content with their pay. It is interesting to note that John did not ask his hearers for religious acts but for acts of justice and charity.

The second part is about the people’s question about the identity of John the Baptist. Could he be the Christ? The use of the title, the Christ and not the title, the Messiah, is significant. It is possible that St. Luke wanted to avoid the political undertones of the title, the Messiah. John denied being the Christ. In fact, compared to the Christ he was even lower than a slave. A slave unties the thongs of the sandal of his master. He was not even worthy to do that.

John the Baptist also describes what the Christ would do. He would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. This was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit appeared as tongues of fire. He would also use his winnowing fan to separate the chaff from the grain. This is an image of the judgment that the Christ would make: rewarding the good and punishing the evil ones.

BEING HAPPY

Go to <Happiness>

2nd SUNDAY OF ADVENT (C)

A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord."

Lk 3:1-6

EXPLANATION OF THE GOSPEL

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar….

Why did St. Luke include historical data in his narrative? By situating the story of John the Baptist and later of Jesus in the context of history, he might want to re-assure us that everything he writes is not made up. The story of John the Baptist and of Jesus is historical fact.

The word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.

This expression identifies John the Baptist as a prophet. His role is that of precursor, that is, he prepares for the coming the Messiah among his people.

THE ROAD

The gospel speaks about the way of the Lord. It also talks about winding roads and rough ways. I will dwell on the words road and way for this Sunday’s reflection.

Rough Road

If you take the Silangan exit of the South Luzon Expressway, you’ll come to see the bad situation of the road. In many places the cement has cracked so much so that you have to drive slowly. For this reason the companies of the industrial estate came together and pooled their resources in order to repair the road. In the process, however, only one side of the road can be used in certain places. Thus, you have to stop and wait for incoming the vehicles to pass through.

In the same way, if we want to prepare the way of the Lord in our lives, we have to invest time and energy and make certain sacrifices in order to set things aright. For example, if we want to give up certain bad habits such as laziness or gossiping about people, we have to make the effort to exercise vigilance. We have to be on the alert so that if we were tempted to gossip about others, we would catch ourselves and keep our mouth shut instead. It would also mean making the effort at the end of the day to monitor our performance regarding the bad habit that we have decided to give up. This is called the examination of conscience.

Loosing One's Way

It was a holiday and a group of mountain hikers decided to climb to the summit of Mt. Makiling. Since there was already a trail to the top, they made it there only in a few hours. Having rested and enjoyed the panorama up there, the group decided to start going down. At some point, they lost their way. They started to panic when they found out that they were walking in circles. They kept on returning to the place where they started. They did not believe in superstition. But in their desperation, they did what the old folks used to say to those who got lost. They should wear their shirts inside out. They did and to their surprise and great relief, they found their way back.

Loosing one’s way is not only about making the wrong turn or taking the wrong street. Loosing one’s way can also mean straying from the path that is good and taking the path that is bad. To return to the right path, to find our way back, we need conversion. It is a 180-degree turn. But it is not just a matter of saying: “I have been lazy at home. From now on I will not be lazy at home.” One has to be more specific. I will, therefore say: “I have been lazy at home. From now on I will take the initiative of cleaning the house.” It is not helpful to say“I have been neglecting my family. From now on I will not neglect them.” I have to be more specific. I will say “I have been neglecting my family. From now on once I arrive home, I will go and look for my wife and my children and ask how their day went.”

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT (C)

MARANATHA - COME LORD JESUS, COME!

Happy New Year! Today is the first Sunday of the new Church year. Last Sunday, Christ the King was the last Sunday of the past Church year. The first Sunday of the new Church year is always the First Sunday of Advent.

There are four Sundays of Advent. They are to prepare us for the celebration of Christmas, which is the second most important feast of the year. The most important feast is Easter.

Advent means coming. We often think of this coming as the coming of Christ as man, that is, his birth in Bethlehem. Hence, the connection of Advent with Christmas. But Advent also includes two other “comings” of Christ: first, his coming at the end of time and second, his coming to us in our daily life. His coming at the end of time is the theme of the first part of the Advent season. In fact, Christ declares in the gospel: “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” This expectation of the second coming is embodied in the early Christian prayer: “Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus, come!”

THE FUTURE

Keeping one’s eyes on the future is a wise decision. Stephen Covey who wrote the book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, had this in mind when he said: “Begin with the end in mind.” Keeping our eyes fixed on the future gives our life some direction.

For example, Jesus counsels us not to be taken by surprise by his second coming at the end of time. By keeping in mind his second coming, my effort to store up treasure in heaven becomes meaningful. This means that living according to spiritual values makes sense. Why? Because doing so will enable me to face Christ with confidence and not fear who will instruct his angels to gather the elect from the four corners of the earth.

Another example. In the future I may want to have a business of my own. This desired future gives direction to my life. This means that I will have to take the steps that will bring me to that desired future. The other side of the coin is to give up those steps that may not bring me to that desired future. One step that I might take is to enroll in a course in entrepreneurship. On the other hand, a step that I should avoid is being a spendthrift (wasteful with money). I need to build my capital to start my business.

THE PAST

Advent is not only about the future coming of Christ but also about his coming in the past, his becoming a man and his birth in Bethlehem in order to save his people from their sins. Recognizing the reason behind the birth of Christ as man, the only possible grateful response to him is repentance and conversion. That is why confession takes on great importance during the Advent season.

Looking at my past is also helpful in making me live my present in a better way. For instance, I might be experiencing lack of peace. Looking at my past, I might discover that someone had treated me badly. My response was to hold a grudge against that person and to look for the opportunity to take revenge. This was the reason why I lack peace in my heart. In order to restore peace in my heart, I might decide to let go of the grudge.

CONCLUSION

Someone had said: “The past is no more. The future is yet to come. The present is the only thing you have.” These words are not meant to devalue the past and the future. We have seen that the future and the past are important. Instead, those words are meant to tell us that among the past, present and future, the present is the most important.

The response of repentance and conversion to the offer of forgiveness by Christ has to be done now, in the present, and not in the future.

If I want to be happy in the present, I may have to stop worrying about the future. I may also have to let go of the hurts and the anger that have come from the past.

Heaven and the second coming may be a long way off in the future. But if I want to get to heaven, then I have to make sure that the steps I take now will bring me to heaven.

The achievement of my dreams will happen in the future. But again unless I take the steps in the present that will lead me to the fulfillment of my dreams, my dreams will remain only dreams forever.

CHRIST THE KING (B)

My kingdom does not belong to this world.

Jn 18: 33b-37

The liturgical year ends with solemnity of Christ the King. Next Sunday would be the First Sunday of Advent.

Are you the king of the Jews?

The official accusation against Jesus was his claim to kingship. That claim makes him an enemy of Rome.

Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?

If the question was coming from Pilate, then the question meant: “Are you a rebel?” If it was coming from the Jewish leadership, then the question meant: “Are you the Messiah?”

My kingdom does not belong to this world.

Therefore, Jesus is not a threat to the rule of Rome over Palestine.

HANDED OVER

“If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.”

Judas handed Jesus over to the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin handed Jesus over to the Romans. Later the disciples of Jesus would also be handed over to those who would want to put an end to their mission.

In the New Testament, the verb “hand over” is not always used in the negative sense. In 1 Cor 11:2 we read: “I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions, just as I handed them on to you.”

He says the same thing in 2Thess 2:15. “Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.”

Tradition is to be understood as the faith being handed over from one generation to the next.

Faith is to be taken in a wide sense. It includes Scriptures and the Sacraments. It includes customs and practices such as the requirement that the bishop be celibate. This is the reason why while Anglican married priests can be ordained as Catholic priests and remain married, but only unmarried Anglican priests can be consecrated bishops.

(unfinished)

33rd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds.

Mk 13:24-32

GOSPEL EXPLANATION

The description of the sun and moon darkening and the stars falling from the sky come from the prophet Isaiah while the imagery of the Son of Man coming in the clouds come from the prophet Daniel.
The elect come from the four winds. This means that salvation is not only for the Jews. Even non-Jews will be saved.

The fig tree bears fruit twice a year.

Jesus says that the return of the Son of Man will happen during the lifetime of those who are listening to Jesus. This is a problem because those listening to Jesus are long dead and he has not yet returned.

No one knows when the Son of Man will return even the Son. This is a problem because if Jesus is God how come he does not know when he supposed to return.

LITURGY

The last Sundays of the Liturgical year until the Second Sunday of Advent are all devoted to the theme of the Parousia or the Second Coming of Christ.

ESCHATOLOGY

The Parousia is described using apocalyptic and eschatological language, that is, in terms of destruction and natural calamities. The natural reaction is one of fear. The movie 2012 precisely narrates the story of the end of the world in terms of destruction. But one should not take this description literally.

Nevertheless, it will be a time of fear for those who will be punished. Instead, it will be a time of expectant joy for those who will be saved.

CREED

This belief in the second coming of Jesus as judge is found in the Apostles’ Creed. We declare: “He will come again to judge the living and the dead.”

32nd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury.

Mk 12:38-44

GOSPEL EXPLANATION

The scribes were the interpreters of the Law. They were trustees of widows and received a fee for this service. By appearing pious they had more chances of being chosen as trustees and thus, had more chances of gaining more money. Hence, their praying was hypocritical and motivated by the desire for money.

The offering of the widow was two small coins (copper coins). They were called “lepta” and were the smallest coins in circulation. Her offering was significant because it came from her limited financial resources. We can really call it a sacrifice. The offerings of the wealthy, although much bigger in amount, were not a sacrifice because they did not suffer any inconvenience. After giving their offerings, they still retained huge amounts of money.

DEEPENING

Jesus points out three faults of the Scribes:
• Their desire for honor and importance. This is the sin of pride.
• Their prayers was all for show. This is the sin of hypocrisy or wrong intention.
• They exploited widows for personal financial gain. This is the sin of exploitation of the weak by the powerful.

Regarding the offering of the widow and of the rich, Jesus did not intend to belittle the offering of the rich, for how can you do much good with only 2 cents? For example, 2 cents can not build a school building for the children of a barrio. The point of Jesus is this: we need to learn to judge things with wisdom.

JUDGING AND DECIDING WITH WISDOM

There is a mayor who goes to every wake in the poor section of his city. He provides health services for them. On the other hand, he demands that one floor be given him for every tall building that is built in his city. Someone said that he would continue voting for this mayor because he is helping the poor. Did he judge with wisdom?

Let’s go to parenting.

A woman introduced herself to a group of young mothers by saying: “I’m only an ordinary housewife.” She used the word ordinary to mean that she did not do anything extraordinary in terms of professional achievement, social involvement and wealth generation. If you were to read her CV (curriculum vitae), there’s nothing there to call your attention. Together with her husband she decided to quit working and become a full-time mother and wife. Their three children have never been in serious trouble in their growing years. They are now professionals and are financially secure. They are happily married with growing children. But at times she did feel some sadness at giving up her promising career. She would, however, tell herself that giving up her career to take care of her children, all boys, was worth it. Did she judge with wisdom?

Let’s turn now to our Christian life, specifically, about the Sunday obligation of rest and Mass.

I once took a jeepney and sat in front. I engaged the driver in small talk. Realizing that I was a priest, he confessed that he had to work even on Sundays since he had to earn enough money to send his children to school. He also was unable to go to Mass. However, to make up he would make the sign of the cross every time he passes a church. Did he make a wise decision?

A family was engaged in the business of selling dressed chicken. They used to open their store even on Sundays. But one day the couple decided to close their store on Sundays. They reasoned out that opening their business on Sundays was not necessary since they could get by even with only six days of business. Did the couple make a wise decision?

CONCLUSION

Judging and deciding with wisdom ultimately means judging and deciding on the basis of higher values. Sometimes these higher values are not shared by others, even by those who are close to us. And this may make things difficult. This is to be expected. After all Jesus Christ did not promise us a rose garden.

27th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.

Mk 10:2-16

GOSPEL EXPLANATION

The gospel reading is divided into two parts:
• Teaching about divorce
• The Kingdom of God and children

The Kingdom of God and Children.

Whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it."

• The child referred to here may be up to 12 years old.
• It is not the innocence of a child that Jesus wanted to highlight. Rather it is his total dependence that makes him welcome the Kingdom of God with joy and gratitude.

Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

• It has been suggested that this passage was used to justify the practice of infant baptism.

Divorce.

Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.

• The divorce referred to is that one whose purpose is re-marriage.
• Jesus teaches that marriage creates an unbreakable sacramental bond between husband and wife.

26th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

GOSPEL EXPLANATION

The gospel for today may be divided into three parts:
• The exorcist. Jesus teaches tolerance.
• Reward. A good deed done to a disciple of Christ will be rewarded.
• Scandal.

He who scandalizes one of these little ones who believe, it would be better if a the millstone of an ass is tied around his neck and be thrown into the sea.

The phrase “he who scandalizes…” may be translated as “He who causes one of these little ones who believe to fall…” Others translates it as “he who casues one of these ones who believe to sin….”

In the gospel “to scandalize” does not mean to give a bad example or to do a disgusting deed. The Greek word means to put an obstacle, or to trip. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus tells Peter who has been reproving Jesus for talking about his passion and death: “Away from me, Satan. You are a scandal to me.” Jesus was not telling Peter: “You are giving me a bad example.” No. Instead, he was telling Peter: “You are an obstacle to me. You are preventing me from obeying the Father’s will.”

What are the possible sources of scandal? The gospel speaks of hand, foot and eye. But there are other sources as well.

Surprisingly Jesus may be a source of scandal. In what sense? When Jesus was brought to the Temple, Simeon uttered this prophecy: “He will be the cause of the fall and rise of many in Israel.” Jesus may be the cause of your fall (scandal also means to trip) if in the face of his teachings, we reject them or refuse to live by them.


Persecution may be a source of scandal or fall. Remember that not all of the companions of Lorenzo Ruiz died for the faith. Some of them denied Jesus to avoid torture and death.

The world may be a source of scandal or fall. Technology may be used by some to cheat other people. We just have to recall the Nigerian scam through email.

People are often the source of scandal or fall of others. A high school student was caught shoplifting at SM Mega Mall. He did it because he was prodded to do so by his classmates.

When Jesus spoke of the little ones who believe, he was not talking about children. He was speaking about adults with a simple faith or whose faith is still weak.

There are two kinds of millstone. The small one can grind wheat with the use of one hand. The bigger one grinds wheat with the use of an animal, like an ass. The millstone Jesus was speaking of is the big one.

What about Gehenna?

This Greek word, as all authorities admit, is derived from the name of the narrow, rocky Valley of Hinnom which lay just outside Jerusalem. It was the place where refuse was constantly burned up. Trash, filth, and the dead bodies of animals and despised criminals were thrown into the fires of gehenna, or the Valley of Hinnom. Ordinarily, everything thrown into this valley was destroyed by fire—completely burned up. Therefore, Christ used gehenna to picture the terrible fate of unrepentant sinners! (from Bible Tools)

25th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME ( B)

“If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”

Mk 9:30-37

CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP

Jesus had been teaching his apostles that he must suffer and die. If that were the case, then who would become leader when he is gone? That was probably what they meant when they were discussing who was the greatest among them.

Jesus took the opportunity to explain the kind of leadership that is expected among them. The leader is the servant. The servant-leader is he who seeks the wel-fare of the community. In this community the servant-leader has authority but this authority is meant to enable him as servant-leader to effectively work for the good of the said community. But in this community it is the weakest that are closest to his heart.

Two well-known figures who are poles apart may serve to illustrate the concept of servant-leader.

The first is Lee Kwan Yew. In 1965 Singapore was expelled from Malaysia. As its first prime minister, he transformed Singapore into a financial and industrial pow-erhouse, despite the lack of natural resources. He turned a malarial land into a mod-ern city-state. However, he is an authoritarian, by Western standards. Nevertheless, he qualifies as a servant-leader for he had the welfare of his nation at heart.

The second example is Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She best exemplifies that special concern of the servant-leader for the weakest members of the community. She founded the Missionaries of Charity. Its mission was to care for "the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a bur-den to the society and are shunned by everyone."

EXEGESIS

Perhaps Jesus did not want people to know where he was so that he could instruct his disciples without disturbance. The topic of his instruction was of utmost importance: his destiny and its significance.

Jesus and his disciples…began a journey through Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it. He was teaching his disciples….

Perhaps Jesus did not want people to know where he was so that he could instruct his disciples without disturbance. The topic of his instruction was of utmost importance: his destiny and its significance.

But they did not understand the saying….

The disciples did not understand the instruction of Jesus because the suffering messiah did not fit into their concept of the Messiah. A person can not possibly un-derstand celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom if for him marriage is the only possible option for a human being.

Taking a child, he placed it in the their midst….

Jesus did not put forward a child because of its innocence. Rather Jesus wanted to put its powerlessness and dependence as a response to the apostles’ desire for power and position.

Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me…

Other translations make use of the word “welcome” instead of “receive”. “To welcome” and “to receive” mean to respect and serve, that is, to be concerned about the well-being of the powerless.

24TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days.

Mk 8: 27-35

The gospel this Sunday is divided into three parts:

• Part 1: The identity of Jesus. Who is this Jesus?
• Part 2: The destiny of Jesus, the Messiah. What will happen to Jesus?
• Part 3: The cost of discipleship. What is required of those who follow Jesus?
  

Who is Jesus?

According to the people, Jesus is a prophet who will prepare for the coming of the Anointed One (Messiah in Hebrew and Christ in Greek). But they are wrong. It is Peter who perceives the true identity of Jesus. Jesus is the Christ.

What is the destiny of Jesus, the Messiah or the Christ?

According to Jesus, he must suffer at the hands of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhed-rin is the supreme religious governing body of the Jews. It is made up of 71 members coming from the aristocracy, the priestly families and the scribes. At that time, Caiaphas was the high priest.

Hearing this, Peter reacts by telling Jesus not to talk this way. Jesus responded by calling Peter, Satan, for like Satan Peter is preventing Jesus from ful-filling the Father’s will.

“Get behind me, Satan” is meaningful. Peter was probably in front of Jesus. In the position, he was blocking the way of Jesus. It symbolizes Peter preventing Jesus from doing the Father’s will. By telling Peter to get behind him, Jesus was telling Peter not to be a Satan but a disciple. For where do you expect the disciple to be but behind the Master, following his footsteps?

It is interesting to note that Peter seems to not have heard completely the words of Jesus. He seems have missed Jesus saying that after having been killed, he would rise after three days. In other words, the destiny of Jesus was not tragedy but victory.

What does it cost a person to become a disciple of Jesus?

If you want to maintain a master-disciple relationship with Jesus, you must be prepared to suffer rejection and death like Jesus. But the story does not end there. Like Jesus, the disciple will also experience victory.

DESTINY

Jesus perceived that his destiny was to suffer at the hands of the Sanhedrin. Jesus sees the Father’s will in his destiny. For this reason, he feels he MUST face it even if it appears to be a tragedy. But by accepting the Father’s will, he wins the salvation of mankind and becomes its Savior.

Ninoy Aquino felt the need to leave the comforts of exile in the United States and return to the Philippines. He wanted to convince the dictator Ferdinand Marcos to give up power and return the Philippines to democracy. He knew that it might cost him his life for he had been warned by Imelda Marcos. But he felt he MUST do it. It was his destiny. He did return. He did die. It may seem at the time that his destiny was tragic. But looking back now, we know that his death was a turning point in Philippine history. Three years later the dictator and his family fled Malacanang. Democracy was restored and Ninoy Aquino was hailed a hero.

Destiny in Pilipino is “kapalaran”. Its root is the word “palad”, that is palm. Destiny is often understood as already written in the palm of one’s hand, that is, one’s destiny is already determined. It is unavoidable. There is no way out of it. In this sense, you are a helpless victim of destiny. This is not how we understand the destiny of Jesus and Ninoy.

But there is another way of looking at destiny and it is to understand destiny as something that is in your hands, that is, your destiny depends on you.

First, it depends on you because you and you alone have to discover your des-tiny. By looking at the world and by listening to your heart, you will discover your destiny. Ninoy Aquino looked at the situation of the Filipino people. He saw them suffering at the hands of the dictator Marcos and his cronies. He listened to his heart. His heart told him that it was his duty to try to set the people free. It looked like an impossible dream. But he felt he had to do it.

And second, it depends upon you because you have to make a decision to fulfill your destiny. At least three times, Jesus could have avoided suffering and death at the hands of the Sanhedrin but he chose not to. These times were: the temptation in the desert, the rebuke of Peter and the agony in Gethsemani.

Ninoy could have decided to remain in the United States and enjoy his exile there with his family. He could have decided not to go because there was a threat of assassination. But he decided to return. He declared that the Filipino was worth dying for. And die he did.

By looking at the world in which we live, by listening to what our heart is telling us what to do in this world and by deciding to do what our heart is telling us, we shall fulfill our destiny, our kapalaran. And in so doing, we not only become better for it. We also leave this world better than it was before.

23rd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

“He has done all things well.”

Mk7:31-37

Again Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis.

Jesus was in pagan territory, that is, the inhabitants were non-Jews.

And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him.

Curing the deaf and mute was expected of the Messiah. “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; Then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the dumb will sing. Streams will burst forth in the desert, and rivers in the steppe” (Is 35:5-6).

He took him off by himself away from the crowd.

To keep the healing secret and his identity as the Messianic.

He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue.

These actions were what healers during the time of Jesus were doing. However, the difference was that these actions of those healers were thought to produce healing by themselves, that is, they worked like magic. In the case of Jesus, it was the power of Jesus that produced healing.

Then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!”— that is, “Be opened!”

Ephphatha was incorporated into the ancient rite of baptism.

But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it.

The verb used here is “kerusso” (κήρΰσσώ) from which the noun kerygma is derived. That noun is used to translate the proclamation of the good news. The proclamation about the healing of Jesus is an anticipation of the proclamation of the good news (gospel).

“He has done all things well.”

Astonishment and awe is the response of Christians before the work of God carried out by Jesus Christ.

PRAISE

I heard someone say this: “Don’t praise anyone, otherwise he will become proud. When he is dead, that is the time to praise him.” What do you think about this statement? Would you agree with it?

In my opinion it is the fear of appearing proud that makes us belittle our suc-cesses and achievements outwardly. When someone tells us, “ang galing naman!”, we respond with “hindi naman.” When someone tells us: “Congratulations for winning”, we respond with: “Chamba lang ‘yon.”

But humility is truth. The only proper response to praise is “thank you”. I once heard an actor who received a trophy begin and end his speech with thank you’s. In fact he began by saying, “First of all, I would like to thank him (pointing his fingers upward) for this trophy.” And he followed that by a litany of thanks. He mentioned his director, his fellow actors, his wife and children, etc.

Educational psychology and parenting manuals state that students and children thrive when there is more praise than blame. This is because a child who is often praised feels encouraged while a child who is often blamed is feels discouraged.

Moreover, a teacher or a parent who is seen as a source of encouragement is able to get the cooperation and good will of the student or the child. Whereas the parent or teacher who is seen as a source of discouraging remarks are disliked. Would you want to cooperate with someone who you dislike?

For this reason, when I was principal, I made it a point to praise publicly the senior students for a job well done. But when I had to scold them, I made it a point to do so away from the hearing of the lower years. I also made sure that I explain why I was scolding them. I would end by expressing my confidence in them.

In connection with parenting, fathers should keep in mind that a boy desper-ately needs his father’s blessing. The boy must know that he has the approval of his father. Consider the tragedy of this story. The team of a high school student won the gold medal in the school intramurals. He was excited to show it to his father. He wanted his father to be proud of him. When he arrived home, he went straight to his father to show him the gold medal. The response of the father was: “Where did you buy that gold medal?” The boy burst into tears.

One characteristic of a happy family is mutual affirmation and appreciation. Affirmation and appreciation makes you feel that you are valued.

One religious community made it a tradition to hold an appreciation circle for the birthday celebrator. After the special supper, each one takes turn in telling the celebrator the good that he sees in him. You might want to do it differently; you might want to write your words of appreciation on a birthday card.

Affirmation and appreciation are not only needed in families. The workplace can also benefit much from it. In some stores, the manager gathers the employees before opening time. One manager uses that time to congratulate a team or an individual for work well-done.

Does God need our appreciation? In a sense, yes. In as much as he has decided to create us and to relate with us as a father with his children, he desires the appreciation of his children. The prayer of praise and thanksgiving is precisely the way by which we express our appreciation to God.

I suggest that at the end of the day, before you go to sleep, review the day and discover how God has been good to you. Your discovery should lead to prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

I have told you in the beginning about the advice of an elderly person. He said we should not praise a man while he is still alive for fear that it would make him proud. He said we should wait until he is dead. Do you agree with him?

I for one, don’t. I feel that even if the only good that praise brings is a happy person, it is still worth the effort of being generous with our praise towards others.