4TH SUNDAY OF LENT (B)

Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

Jn 3:14-21

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I shall take up four topics from the Gospel of this 4th Sunday of Lent: 1. The Cross, 2. The Gospel, 3. Hell and 4. Light and Darkness. 

THE CROSS

What is the symbol of Christianity? The cross. Why? Because Jesus died on the cross for us. Why is the death of Jesus on the cross so important to Christianity? Because the death of Jesus on the cross brought us eternal life. What is eternal life? Life that has no end. Is that all? No. More important than life without end, eternal life means the life that is given to a human being at Baptism. What is this life? Baptism gives us a new kind of life, the life of a child of God. God becomes our Father. We become his children. Does this mean that we don’t have to die first in order to gain eternal life? Yes, we don’t have to die to gain eternal life. We can already possess eternal life even while alive on earth. But is there any difference between eternal life on earth and eternal life in heaven? Yes, there is. We will use a mango as a comparison. The mango begins as a small flower. Then it develops into a small mango. As weeks pass, it grows bigger and bigger. Then it slowly turns from green to yellow. And then one day, the mango ripens and is ready to be eaten. Eternal life on earth is like the mango that is developing from a flower to fruit that is turning from green to yellow. Eternal life in heaven is like the mango that has already ripened and is ready to be eaten.

THE GOSPEL

Gospel is the modern English word for the Old English word, Godspell. Godspell and Gospel are the English translation for the Greek ‘euangelion’ which means good news or glad tidings. Someone suggested a more dynamic translation for euangelion, ‘gladdening news’, that is, a news that makes people glad. What is the gospel message that can gladden people? We have it in today’s gospel passage: “God so loved the world that in the fullness of time he sent his only Son so that those who believe in him may not perish but have eternal life.”

Remember the words for the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday? “Turn away from your sins and believe in the gospel.” To believe in the gospel means to accept as true the message that God loves us and wants to save us. And it was for this reason that he sent Jesus, his only Son, to be our Savior.

Have we allowed Jesus to save us? What does it mean to allow Jesus to save us?

Imagine yourself swimming in a pool or at the beach. Supposed you had cramps. You are unable to swim. You begin to sink. You are in danger of drowning. Now Jesus is the lifeguard. He comes to you and offers you his hand. “Take my hand,” he tells you. You grasp his hand and he brings you to safety. You have allowed him to save you.

We allow Jesus to save us when we go to him and surrender to him ALL our sins, big and small. It is in confession that we perform the ritual of surrendering to him our sins.

HELL

Does God send people to hell?

The Gospel this Sunday seems to say that God is not the one who sends people to hell. “Those who do not believe are condemned already.” In other words, our evil deeds which come from unbelief condemn us to hell already.

LIGHT AND DARKNESS

Light and darkness are symbols of good and evil. Now Jesus Christ is the light of the world. We can choose to live in his light. We can also choose to live away from his light and to live in the shadows. That is, we can choose to good or to be bad; to live in the state of grace or to live in sin. The Lenten season is a call to leave the shadows and come into the light. On Ash Wednesday we heard the words, “Turn away from your sins.” To turn away from sin is in fact the same as to leave the shadows and come into the light.

Yesterday, Fr. B came and invited me to join him to exorcise evil spirits from a house. The evil spirits were disturbing a family that was living there. The day before, Fr. B had already exorcised the evil spirit that had possessed a 17-yr. old girl who lived in that house. At first I refused to go because I was afraid that the evil spirit might jump from the house into me. But he assured me that that only happens in the movies. In real life, the evil spirit can not possess a priest because he is protected by the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Priesthood. I asked him why he needed me. He said that he needed the presence of another priest as support against the evil spirits occupying the house. He used blessed oil, holy water and blessed salt and prayers of exorcism to drive away the evil spirits. He told me that evil spirits are fond of occupying bodegas and storerooms that are dirty, in disorder and dark. That was why he instructed the owners to clean up the storeroom and install a bulb.

Take note of what the gospel says: “The light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light.”

This Lenten season let us clean up the house of our soul, let us put in order our consciences and approach Jesus the light of the world in the sacrament of confession.

3RD SUNDAY OF LENT (B)

He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area.

Jn 2: 13-25

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EXEGESIS

The title of this episode is the “Cleansing of the Temple”. Jesus drove the sellers out of the Temple area. There would have been no problem had they been outside. So the question is: how did the sellers manage to sneak into the Temple area? Probably the temple authorities permitted them. And it is entirely possible that the sellers were paying them for this privilege. And this explains the angry reaction of the Temple authorities. The action of Jesus was an affront to them, to their authority and to their source of income.

The animals that were being sold were sheep, oxen and doves. These were for sacrificial offerings. Only in the Temple were sacrifices offered. The synagogues only had prayer services for the Sabbath.

There were also money changers. The coins in circulation were minted by the Romans. These contained images of the emperor. Consequently, they could not be used in the Temple. The money changers exchanged these coins for coins that had no images in them.

We are used to a Jesus who is kind and gentle. But here for the first time we are confronted by a Jesus who is angry and who uses force!

To capture the full significance of this event, we need to look into what happened before this. The Cleansing of the Temple was preceded by the Miracle at Cana where at the request of Mary, Jesus performed his first sign. There he turned water into wine. In St. John’s gospel, he does not use the word “miracle”. Instead, he used the word “sign”. And this is because the miracles of Jesus are like signs in that they communicate a message. 

Let us compare the Cleansing of the Temple with the Miracle at Cana. At Cana there was faith in Jesus. In the Cleansing of the Temple, there was none. In both places, a sign was given to the people. At Cana, a miracle was performed. In the Temple, a mysterious statement was given. “Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up.” This statement was in response to the challenge of the Temple authorities: “What sign can you show us for doing this?” St. John explained that Jesus was talking about the temple of his body. He was talking about his death and eventual resurrection.

LESSON

1. Church

What can the Cleansing of the Temple teach us about our churches?

Our churches are the house of God. It is reserved for worshiping God. There we celebrate the Sacraments. Therefore, we must exhibit a respectful behavior. When we enter the church, we must make the sign of the cross. If there is holy water, we make the sign of the cross with the holy water. We genuflect or bow towards the Blessed Sacrament.

Jesus cleansed the Temple of sellers. We need to keep our churches clean of dust and dirt. Some churches have writings on the pews. That is vandalism and is disrespectful.

2. Anger

Jesus teaches us that there is such a thing as righteous anger. It is anger you feel in front of something wrong. This is the kind of anger that is NOT sinful. For instance, when I read that 31 Coptic Christians were beheaded by Muslim terrorists in Libya, I felt anger. When one no longer feels angry in the face of evil, it is a bad sign. It means that he has become at home with evil.

There is also such a thing as unrighteous anger. For example, a student is scolded by his mother because he has not been doing his homework. He gets angry and answers back. This is unrighteous anger. It is sinful.

It is also important to examine what we do when we are angry. Sometimes a basketball game or a football match becomes heated. For example, the forward is tackled by the defense, causing both of them to fall to the ground. The forward loses his temper and hits the defense. Not only will the forward receive a red card and thrown out of the game. He also commits sin. 

When I was principal, a student disobeyed me. I told him to return the plastic bowl he used for the morning break. I found that bowl on the table. He did not return it. I got very mad. I felt my ears burning. But Don Bosco said that we should not punish when we are angry. So I told the boy to see me at lunch break. There was a happy ending to that story. Because when he entered my office, the first words that came out of his mouth were: “Father, I’m sorry.” So I replied: “OK. All is forgiven. Enjoy your lunch!”

3. Cleansing

Jesus cleansed the Temple. Lent is a special time of spiritual cleansing.

Some flagellants say that they do what they do because of a vow. It is, however, not uncommon to hear this particular reason: mabawasan ang kasalanan.

We don’t have to join the flagellants to be spiritually cleansed. In fact it is all very easy. Here are three lines of action: Line of action number 1: Make a good confession. Line of action number 2: Do penance in order to strengthen your will power. A strong will power is needed to say “no” to temptation. For example, give up smoking for Lent and give what you save to the poor. A second example, for the entire season of Lent, our viand for supper is only vegetables. And third, every year a young Salesian gives up Facebook during the Lent. And finally, line of action number 3: Replace sins with virtues. If you tend to engage in gossip, replace it at least with silence. Do not add to the gossip. Do not spread the gossip.

CONCLUSION

Last Ash Wednesday we heard the words, “Turn away from your sins!” Our task for Lent is spiritual cleansing. Let us approach Jesus to help us succeed in this spiritual cleansing.

2ND SUNDAY OF LENT (B)

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

 Mk 9:2-10

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CONTEXT

Jesus asked his disciple, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answers for all of them, “You are the Christ.” Then Jesus reveals to them his destiny. He would suffer and die in the hands of sinful men, but rise again on the third day. That he would suffer and die shocked them so much that they did not hear the rest of his statement—that he would rise again on the third day. But to cushion the blow of the prediction of his passion and to make them remember that the cross would not be the end of his story, Jesus made Peter, James and John witness the Transfiguration.

EXEGESIS

The Transfiguration took place on a mountain. Tradition identifies Mt. Tabor as this mountain. Why did it take place on a mountain. In the OT mountains were the place of encounter with God. Moses, for example, received the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai. Elijah experienced the presence of God on Mt. Horeb in the form of a soft breeze.

Moses and Elijah appeared conversing with Jesus. Moses represented the Law; Elijah, the Prophets. Together the Law and the Prophets make up the Old Testament. That they appeared together with Jesus meant that the mission of Jesus was the fulfillment of the OT promises.

Peter wanted to build three tents. If he was thinking of the Tent of Meeting, he may have in the mind the building of a shrine. If he was thinking of the tent as a dwelling place, then it would mean that he wanted to stay there and prolong this extraordinary experience. But it was not to be because Jesus brought them down from the mountain.

As they were coming down, Jesus commanded them not to speak about this experience until after the Son of Man had been raised from the dead. They did not understand what he meant by rising from the dead in the same way that they did not understand his prediction of the passion. For the Jews expected the resurrection to happen only on the last day. And for the Messiah to suffer and die was unthinkable.

In Mk’s gospel, nothing is said about the brightness of the face of Jesus. He only mentions his clothing turning dazzlingly white. This transformation was meant to be a preview of the transformation of Jesus at his resurrection.

THE STORY OF THE TRANSFIGURATION AND LENT

Why was the Transfiguration chosen as the gospel for the Second Sunday of Lent?

First, the Church wants to remind us even this early during the Lenten season that the culmination of Lent will be the celebration of Easter. The Lenten season is a forty-day period of meditating on the passion and death of Jesus. But it will not end there. It will end with the triumphant celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

Secondly, the Church also wants to remind us of the work that we must do for Lent. What work must we do? We must repent and turn away from our sins. If we do this during the Lenten season, the result will be a change, a transformation into better Christians.

Why do we have to undergo change or transformation into better Christians? Because the purpose of Easter is not only to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ and but also to celebrate the change, the transformation into better Christians that happened during Lent.

THE PHOENIX

We can use the mythical bird called the Phoenix as a reminder of the work we have to do for Lent.

When the Phoenix reaches 500 years old (some say 2,000), it is ready to die. It prepares a nest of cinnamon twigs which it turns into a funeral pyre. It burns itself in that pyre. When everything turns into ashes, something wonderful happens--a newly hatched Phoenix emerges.

Remember the ashes we received on Ash Wednesday? Do you remember the words that accompanied the giving of ashes? “Turn away from your sins and believe in Gospel.” If we take seriously this work of turning away from our sins, then what happened to the Phoenix can happen to us. From the ashes of Ash Wednesday, we can emerge as changed Christians ready to celebrate Easter Sunday with the Risen Christ.

1ST SUNDAY OF LENT (B)

"This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

Mk 1:12-15

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6TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

Moved with pity, he [Jesus]stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.”

Mk 1:40-45

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5TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

Jesus approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. 

Mk 1:29-39 

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4TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.

Mk 1:21-28

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3RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Mk 1:14-20

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STO. NIÑO

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

Mk 10:13-16

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GOSPEL FOR 2ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

Jn 1:35-42

John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.”

This was how John the Baptist publicly identified Jesus as the Messiah which was why his two disciples went over to Jesus to become his new disciples.

·         There are two instances in the Mass where we call on Jesus as the Lamb of God. The first is at the breaking of the bread. We call on Jesus three times as Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The second immediately follows. The priest says: “Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are they who are called to the Supper of the Lamb.”

·         There is another important event in the Gospel of John that is tied to the title of Jesus as the Lamb of God. Jesus was crucified and died on Calvary on a Friday at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Now it is precisely at the time that the lambs are sacrificed in the Temple during the Passover feast. This is how St. John the Evangelist points to Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?”

It seems that the more natural question that Jesus would ask the two erstwhile disciples or John would be: “What do you want?” or “Why are you following me?”

·         This reminds me of Diogenes of Sinope. He was a philosopher. One day in broad daylight he went to the town square carrying a lighted lamp. People were intrigued. And they asked him, “Why are you carrying a lighted lamp in broad daylight?” And he answered them: “I am looking for an honest man and it’s so hard to find one.”

·         At one time in our life, we might be in search of something important: what course to take in college; a soul mate; the meaning of life; the reason why you were born in this world; why do bad things happen to good people; why did someone die young; why is there so much evil in the world and so on. If Jesus were to ask you, “what are you in search of at this time in your life?”, what would you say to him? If he were to ask you, “what do you want so badly in your life today?”, what would you tell him?

Then he (Andrew) brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas” — which is translated Peter.

·         The giving of the name is a serious matter in the bible. In the Jewish culture a male child is circumcised on the 8^th day. He now becomes an official member of the Jewish nation. On this occasion the father gives the child its name. By this action the father officially acknowledges that this child is his. Although Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus, yet he (Joseph) acknowledges Mary’s baby as his own son by giving him his name, Jesus.·         In the bible, giving of a name signifies the giving of a mission or a special role. Simon’s name was changed to Cephas in Aramaic or Peter in Greek because he was to be the rock on which Jesus would build his Church. The son of Elizabeth and Zechariah was given the name John which means God is gracious. His birth was an act of graciousness on the part of God to Elizabeth and Zechariah for by giving them a child, God took away their shame at being childless. Jesus means “Yahweh saves”. Thus this was the name given to Mary’s child because he would save the people from their sins.·         When a new Pope is elected, he is first asked if he accepts the election. If he accepts, the next question that he is asked is what name does he wish to take. Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio took the name Francis, the first Pope to do so. He is the 266^th successor of St. Peter, the first Pope. At first they thought that Cardinal Bergoglio had Francis Xavier in mind because Cardinal Bergoglio was a Jesuit and Francis Xavier was also a Jesuit. But it turned out that he was thinking of Francis of Assisi. Why? Because he wanted to follow the simplicity of St. Francis of Assisi. Also he wanted to show his special concern for the poor, the suffering and the marginalized.

o    Cardinal Ratzinger took the name of Benedict because he wanted to work for the return of Europe to its Christian roots. Europe now is secularized. It no longer considers faith and religion as part of its identity. Thus, it is considered post-Christian. St. Benedict founded the order of monks who was responsible for keeping the Christian identity of Europe during the barbarian invasions. In fact, they were responsible for the Christianization of the barbarians.

o    Both Cardinal Albino Luciani and Cardinal Karol Wojtyla took the name of John Paul because they wanted to continue the reform of Vatican II. Now Pope John the XXIII opened Vatican II while Pope Paul VI brought it to conclusion. It is interesting to note that John Paul II visited the Philippines twice and his visits resulted in many boys being called John Paul.

·         Cardinal Sin, God bless his soul, often cracked jokes during his homilies. He shared the following story. He was baptizing three children. The first was the child of a soldier. He asked for the name of the child. And the father with a smile replied, “Baby. Baby Armalite.” The next baby was the son of a scientist. He asked the father what the name of the child was. “Skylab,” came the answer. Skylab at that time was the orbiting space laboratory of the Americans. And finally , he came to  the last baby. He asked the father what was the name of the baby girl. The father replied, “Iluminada.” “Oh, finally!” thought the Cardinal, “a more sensible name.” And the Cardinal asked the father, “And what is the family name?” And the father with a naught smile replied, “Bombilya. Iluminada Bombilya.”

o    The traditional practice is to give a child the name of a Saint. The reason is that the Saint becomes the patron and the model of the child. Patron means protector and intercessor of the child. Model means someone the child could imitiate.

o    What is your name? How did you get that name? What is the meaning of your name? If your name is that of a Saint, have you ever read the life of that Saint? Have you ever approached him to pray for you?

·         Finally, I remember many years ago a rivalry between the Noranians and the Vilmanians. They were the fans of Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos. Some of the fans of Nora went so far as to put a mole on their face similar to the mole or Nora.

o    No one here today would perhaps identify herself or himself as a Noranian or a Vilmanian. But I am sure that all of us here would call himself a Christian, a follower of Christ. We should not take that name lightly. For Christians living in Syria and Iraq, it may mean beheading at the hands of Muslim extremists. It is not dangerous to be a Christian in the Philippines. And for that reason, it is easy to take our Christianity for granted. May the Pope’s visit re-enkindle our enthusiasm for our Christian faith. 

BAPTISM OF THE LORD (B)

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

MK 1:7-11

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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

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4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT (B)

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.

Lk 1:26-38

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THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT (B)

A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light.

Jn 1:6-8, 19-28

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We have in one of our schools a facility called “Joy Center”. It used to be the place where the students go during break time to play table games and board games such as ping pong, table football, pool, Games of the Generals and chess. It’s aptly called the “Joy Center” because the boys go there to have fun, to enjoy themselves.

In the same way the Third Sunday of Advent is called “Gaudete Sunday” or “Joy Sunday” because with Christmas getting closer, we feel happy. And to highlight the joyful spirit of this Sunday, the color of the candle of the Advent wreath and of the vestment of the priest is pink. An alternative color for the vestment is rose.

Of course, this Sunday is not the only Sunday that is joyful. The whole mood of Advent is joyful. And it is because the spirit of Christmas itself is one of joy.

The joyful spirit of Christmas is expressed in the holiday character of the season. Schools, offices, buildings, parishes and streets are adorned with Christmas lights, Christmas trees, lanterns, and Santa Claus. Christmas songs are heard over the radio. We hold Christmas parties in schools, and in offices. We give and receive gifts and Christmas cards. We wear new clothes. The 13^th month pay and Christmas bonus are awaited with eagerness.

All of these are good. But they are not enough to express the joy of Christmas. The joy of Christmas comes from giving. And this giving is to celebrate the giving that happened on that first Christmas: “God so loved the world that he GAVE his only Son that those who believe in him may not perish but have everlasting life.”

A Grade Six pupil experienced for himself the joy that comes from giving. It is a practice to hold a Christmas party in schools. Following the suggestion of their teacher, the class decided that they will share the joy of Christmas with other kids. And so they invited some children from an orphanage to attend their Christmas party in school. It was after this party that I met this Grade Six pupil. He couldn’t contain his pride and happiness. He said, “Father, I never thought I would feel this happy.” I asked him why. And he replied, “Because I saw the orphaned children very happy. That made me very happy.”

What I am suggesting is that you make your Christmas joyful by giving. Just like that Grade Six pupil, make your Christmas joyful by making others happy. Let’s see the ways.

1. Why don’t you share some of your Noche Buena or Media Noche with your neighbors?

2. I have seen street children who cannot go to school because they have to make a living by rummaging through garbage. Why not prepare sandwiches for them? Or buy some hamburger, for example, and give it to them.

3. You can also go to an orphanage or an old people’s home or the jail and give them gift packs or food, like spaghetti and ice cream. 

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT (B)

And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals." 

Mk 1:1-8

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Do you know that they celebrate Christmas in Japan like we do here in the Philippines? Is there any difference? 

Yes, there is. Their Christmas is just a holiday. In the Philippines it is both a holiday and a holy day. What makes Christmas a holy day? We celebrate it with faith. The Japanese celebrate Christmas without thinking of Christ. We celebrate Christmas because of Christ. We celebrate the birth of Christ, the Savior of the world.

There are only three birthdays that we celebrate in the Liturgy: the birth of John the Baptist on June 24, the birth of Mary on September 8 and the birth of Christ on December 25. And the reason why celebrate their birth is their important role in the plan of salvation. John the Baptist prepared Israel for the appearance of the Messiah. Mary, of course, is the one through whom the Messiah was born into the world. Jesus Christ is the Messiah.

When we celebrate our own birthdays, one of the things we need to do is to think about is the role that God has given us in this world. That role is what gives meaning to our life on earth. That role answers the question: Why was I born into this world? So let us ask ourselves: Do I know what that role is? How well have I been fulfilling it?

Are there deeper reasons for celebrating the birth of Jesus? Yes, there are.

In the first place, when we celebrate Christmas, we are also celebrating the love of God for us. In St. John’s Gospel, we read: “For God so loved the world that he sent his only Son so that those who believe in him may not perish but have everlasting life.” It was because God loved us that he did not abandon us to our sins. It was because he loved us that he sent us a Savior.

Secondly, when we celebrate Christmas, we are also celebrating the “pagmamalasakit “ of Jesus Christ for us. The Second Person of the Blessed Trinity agreed to become a human being so that he may suffer and die on the cross to pay the price of our redemption. In Romans 5:7-8 St. Paul declares: “Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” Christ died for us – that is the “pagmamalasakit” of Christ that I am talking about.

There may be more reasons for celebrating Christmas, but I end with a third reason. When we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate the fulfillment of a promise made by God right after Adam and Eve sinned. He promised not to abandon them but to send a Savior. This was the promise: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; it will strike at your head, while you strike at its heel” (Gn 3: 15). Christmas then is a celebration of God’s keeping his promise. Our God then is a God who is true to his word. He is a God who has “palabra de honor”.

We have found at least three reasons for celebrating Christmas. How then should we prepare for  Christmas so that it does not become just a holiday but a holy day above all else? Again when we say holy day, we mean to say that our celebration is inspired by faith. And faith tells us that Christmas is about the birth of our Savior. So how do we prepare for the celebration of the birth of the Savior?

The First Reading and the Gospel answer that question: “A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley.” 

What does this mean? It means remove anything and everything that is an obstacle to meet the Lord. There is really only one thing that can hinder us from meeting the Lord. Sin. But removing sin is a process. (We call this process “conversion”.) It is a process because it is not just about going to confession. Removing sin is also about removing the bad habits, correcting the bad attitudes and avoiding the people, places and things that cause us to sin. And all of these are not easily done. It takes time and effort. And that is why to prepare ourselves for Christmas, we are given four weeks. 

For some of us four weeks may not be enough. But at least come Christmas day, we can offer to the Lord together with the Four Wise Men, all the time and effort we have spent in removing our bad habits, in correcting our bad attitudes and in avoiding the people, places and things that cause us to sin.

Christmas is a holiday. But it is more than a holiday. It is a holy day. And it will become a holy day when our celebration is inspired by faith and centered on Christ. That is why our Christmas greeting should not only be “Merry Christmas” but a “Blessed Christmas”.

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT (B)

Watch, therefore; you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming.

Mk 13:33-37

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The theme of the Gospel of the First Sunday of Advent is the end of the present age and the beginning of a new world, the end of time and the beginning of eternity, the resurrection of the dead, and the second coming of Jesus Christ as King and Judge.

Jesus Christ is king even now but it is not obvious. At the end of the present age, his kingship will be seen by everyone. He will also judge everyone who was ever born. Evil people will go to hell. Good people will go to heaven.

The resurrection of the dead means that body and soul will be re-united. But the body will be transformed so that it can no longer get sick, nor age nor die. And with the transformation of the body, the present world will also be transformed. How will the new world look like, we do not know. The transformation of good people will actually be the same as the transformation of Jesus Christ at his resurrection.

When Jesus returns, time will also come to an end and eternity will begin. Philosophy explains time as the succession of before and after. Eternity therefore means there will no longer be a before and an after. It will always be now. What does that mean? It simply means there will be no change. That is why if you go to heaven you will always be happy. Unlike here on earth, there is change. One time you are happy. At another time you are sad.

What is the teaching that Jesus gives us regarding his second coming and the end of the old word? He says that we should be on guard and stay awake. Be like the door keeper who is always ready to open the door no matter at what time the master of the house will come.

Why is this the theme of Advent when Advent is supposed to be a four-week preparation for Christmas?

First, Advent means coming. But the first part of Advent is about the second coming of Jesus as King and Judge at the end of time. It is the first part that is a preparation for his second coming. This second coming is called the Parousia. The second part of Advent is about the first coming of Jesus as a baby in Bethlehem. It is in this second part that is strictly speaking devoted to preparing for Christmas.

Advent is a four-week preparation. That is why there are four candles in the Advent wreath. Except for one candle, all three are violet because violet is the color of preparation. But one candle is pink. This candle is lighted on the Third Sunday of Advent. And it is called Gaudete Sunday or Sunday of Rejoicing because as we say in the Philippines, “Ilang tulugan na lang, Pasko na!”

The preparation of Advent is, of course, spiritual and it involves conversion. That is why the liturgical color of Advent is violet as I have said. The liturgical color of Advent and Lent is violet. Is there any difference? Yes, there is. While the period of Lent is low-key, the period of Advent is joyful.

How do we put into practice the teaching of Jesus to be on guard and to stay awake for his second coming?

I see a bit of a problem. While it is entirely possible that the second coming will take place in our lifetime, it is more probable that our death will come first. In other words, it is more practical to prepare for death rather than for the Parousia. However, the spiritual preparation for death is practically the same as the spiritual preparation for the Parousia. So that simplifies matters.

So how do we prepare ourselves spiritually for death and for the Parousia? Just follow this principle: live in such a way that you are always ready to face the judgment seat of God.

Are you living a good Christian life? Go ahead being a good Christian. Huwag pabayaan ang sarili na maligaw ng landas. Are you living a sinful life? Don’t wait for tomorrow to change. Don’t say: “Saka na lang.” Do it now. Now na! Is there someone that you are not at peace with? Take steps now to reconcile. Is there a grudge that you have been keeping inside you for so long? Let it go. Let it go. Move on with your life. Is there a bad habit that has taken hold of you? It may take you a long time to shake it off. But a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Take that step now. Are you not at peace with God? Take steps to return to him. Magbalik-loob sa Diyos. Take the first steps now to do that.

We go to the cemetery at least once a year on the occasion of Undas or Todos los Santos. In a cemetery somewhere in Scotland, a visitor saw this inscription on a tombstone: Consider, friend, as you pass by: As you are now, so once was I. As I am now, you too shall be. Prepare, therefore, to follow me.

How do we prepare for death and for the Parousia? Live in such a way that you are always ready to face the judgment seat of God. And if you are not yet ready, fix your life. Do it now. 

CHRIST THE KING (A)

When the Son of Man comes in his glory,and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne.

Mt 25:31-46

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33RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A)

You wicked, lazy servant! Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?

MT 24:14-30

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Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome

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

Jn 2:13-22

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ALL SOULS

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.

Jn 6:37-40

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“For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." We can identify two teachings here. The first is that God wants all of us to have eternal life. He wants all of his children to go to heaven. That’s why he sent Jesus. The second is about the Last Day. The Last Day is the end of time, the second coming of Christ, the end of the world. The end of the world is usually translated as “paggunaw sa mundo”. But this is a wrong translation because if you translate it back into English, it will be “destruction of the world”. But the end of the world is not about destruction but about transformation. This transformation is similar to the transformation that happened to the body of Jesus at the Resurrection. On the Last Day our bodies will be raised up, that is, transformed like the body of Jesus. Not only our bodies but everything that God created.

Today, November 2, is All Souls Day. Today we remember our beloved dead. We pray for them so that, if they are still in purgatory, they may soon enter heaven. Yesterday, November 1, was All Saints Day. We remember also the dead but the dead who are already in heaven. Because they are already in heaven, we do not pray for them. They no longer need our prayers. Instead, what we do is to honor them as Christians heroes in the same way that we honor our national heroes.

Behind the celebration of All Souls Day are several related teachings. There is an after-life. In the after-life, there is reward and punishment. There is heaven, hell and purgatory.

We should not think of purgatory as a prison sentence. When we pray for the souls in the purgatory, it is not to shorten that prison sentence. Purgatory comes from the Latin word that means “to purge”, that is to remove everything that is undesirable in a good Christian. Therefore, if we fail to on earth to remove unchristian qualities, we will have to remove them in the next life in purgatory. Purgatory should be seen as a sign of God’s love because God is giving us a second chance to make it to heaven. It is like a re-valida. If you fail in the finals, the teacher gives you a re-test so that you will not get a 5 in your subject.

In the Creed, we profess in our faith in the communion of Saints. Communion of Saints means that those who are still on earth can do something for those in purgatory. Thus, we pray for our beloved dead who might still be in purgatory. How do we know if they are in purgatory? We cannot know. That’s why we pray for their soul, just in case. Communion of Saints also means that those in heaven and in purgatory can do something for us who are still in this life. Thus, St. Anthony who is already in heaven can pray for our intention when we ask his help in finding lost things. Thus, we can also ask anyone of our family, relatives and friends who might be in purgatory or in heaven also to pray for us.

All Souls Day is on November 2. Why is it that in the Philippines we go to the cemeteries on November 1 which is All Saints Day? Is there some mistake? Actually in the evening of November 1 we are already celebrating the vigil of All Souls Day. It’s like Christmas. Christmas is on December 25, yet we can already celebrate the Mass of Christmas on the evening of December 24, the vigil of Christmas.

For us Filipinos, Undas is an expression of strong family ties. It is a family reunion in which the dead are also included! And just like any get-together there is eating and talking. It is a good thing that hard drinks are forbidden as they often lead to trouble in cemeteries. One thing that we should not forget is to pray for the dead. And this is what makes this family reunion different. You may want to pray the Rosary. You can also find other kinds of prayers for the dead in the internet.

For us who are still alive, Undas should also make us think of our own death. You should tell your family whether you want to be buried or cremated and where you want to be buried. You should also ask these hard questions: Am I ready to die? Am I ready to face the judgment seat of God? What have I done with my life? Are there things that I want to do before I die? Are there things that I need to set right? Do I still have unfinished business? And for parents. Make your last will so that your children will not fight over their inheritance.

All Souls Day then is a time to remember our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory. But it is also a time for us to remember that one day we too shall die. How are we to be prepared for it?

30TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A)

You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Mt 22:34-40

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What is the greatest commandment? That question seems strange. But it becomes understandable when we realize that that there were at least 613 rules that were developed to implement the Law of Moses. It’s like today’s legal system. When the legislature makes a bill and the President signs it into law, there is the still need of making what is called IRR or implementing rules and regulations. Now some rabbis taught that all of them were of equal importance while others say that some were more important than the others. The question put to Jesus (what is the greatest commandment) was meant to ask Jesus to which side he belongs: to those who say all are of equal importance or to those who say some are more important than the others?

Jesus replied that the greatest commandment was the Law of love: to love God AND to love one’s neighbor. Both have to be obeyed. Moreover, he said that it is from this Law of love that all the other rules flow. In other words, all the other rules were just ways of practicing the Law of love in daily life.

PHARISEES. The Pharisees were the ones who posed this question to Jesus. The name “Pharisee” means “separated”. They were separated from others by their strict observance of the Law of God. It was a way of expressing their fidelity to God. They were held in high esteem by the people because they were hard working and yet found the time to study and meditate on God’s Law. But if there was one great defect of the Pharisees, it was not hypocrisy but their great reliance on what they do for God than on God himself. In other words, they were BSS (mga bilib sa sarili). Perhaps, we can imitate the work ethic of the Pharisees. We can call it “sipag at tiyaga”.

NEIGHBOR. In Old Testament times, neighbor was understood as the one who belongs to my family, or my clan, or my people. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus tells us to widen our understanding of neighbor. Anyone who needs my help, even if he were an enemy, is my neighbor. And as a Christian, it is my duty to be a neighbor to him. I have to help him.

We have heard the expression, “charity begins at home”. There is nothing wrong with that. But charity should not end at home. It must expand outside the home. For example, an alumnus treated to coffee at Starbucks in Sydney. At the counter, I was pleasantly surprised to read this sign: “We have already forwarded your donations for the victims of Haiyan.” Haiyan was the international name for typhoon, “Yolanda”. Australia is so far from the Philippines, yet these Australians behaved like our neighbors.

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. When Jesus said: “"You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself”, what he meant was that loving one’s neighbor is as important as loving God.

“Love your neighbor as yourself” has an important implication. We can rephrase it this way: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” That means that loving oneself is alright. What is wrong is to love only oneself. Charity begins at home is alright. What is wrong is for charity to begin and end at home.

Another important point. Jesus did not say that our love for our neighbor and our love for ourselves should be equal. What he said was that we should love them in the same way that we love ourselves. You do good to yourself; you should also do good to others. You don’t want bad things to happen to yourself; you also do not wish bad things to happen to others.

Maybe I should add a small note. The Tagalog translation of “Love your neighbor as yourself” is “Ibigin mo ang iyong kapwa gaya ng pag-ibig mo sa iyong sarili.” Neighbor is not kapit-bahay but kapwa tao. Nevertheless, let us remember that when we said that charity begins at home but should not end there, the nearest people to receive our charity outside our home is--our kapit-bahay! Remember further the question posed by Jesus at the end of the parable of the Good Samaritan: “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” We can re-phrase it this way: “Which of these three behaved like a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” Applying this teaching of Jesus to what he said about loving your neighbor as yourself, it will come out like this: “Love your kapit-bahay as yourself by behaving like a good kapit-bahay to them.”

The Cross is the symbol of Christianity. The first reason is that Jesus redeemed us by dying on the cross. But maybe we add a second reason. The vertical bar represents love of God. The horizontal bar represents love of neighbor. The cross cannot be a cross if the vertical bar and horizontal bar are separated. They have to be together. The second reason why the cross is a symbol of Christianity is because Jesus gave us the law of love: love God AND love your neighbor. That is the way Christians love.