5th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year C) February 7, 2016

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year C)

Is. 6:1-2a, 3-8; Ps 138; 1 Cor 15:1-11; Luke 5:1-11

Called To Put Out into the Deep

(duc in altum)

            I remember a story about a choir member and a pastor. Once there was a man in the choir who couldn't sing very well. The choir director suggested that he should leave the choir. Other members of the choir ask the director that he should be given more time to improve. Irritated, the choir director then decided to go to the pastor and complain.

Choir Director: "You've got to get that man out of the choir or else I'm going to resign."

So the pastor went to the man and said to him,

Priest: "Perhaps you should leave the choir."

Man: Puzzled he asked, "Why should I leave the choir?"

Priest: "Well, four or five people have told me you can't sing."

Man: "That's nothing," the man replied, "forty or fifty people have told me you can't preach!"

            Today's readings reminded us of God's calling of the three great men in the Bible and in this three calls God shows us how He can make use of the most unlikely people to fulfill His divine purpose.

            What is appealing and wonderful in these three characters are: First, they all felt unworthy of the call. Look at Isaiah in the first reading, he said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips!” (Isaiah 6:5). Look at Paul also in the second reading, he himself felt unfit to be called an apostle, because he persecuted the church of God (1 Corinthians 15:9). And Peter in our gospel fell down at Jesus' feet and said, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8). All of these three holy and great men were humiliated realizing of their personal unworthiness of God's call. And it is said, "Humility is the first and primary virtue in authentic spirituality."

             But God works wonders to whomever He called and whoever appeared to Him with humble heart. It is said by a sermon that, "When the soul confesses its sinfulness and inadequacy before God, God reaches out and absolves the sinner and renders him or her competent to serve Him." True enough Isaiah and Peter experienced it. In Isaiah's case, one of the seraphs touched his lips with a burning coal taken from the altar of the temple and said to him, “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out” (Isaiah 6:7). In the case of Simon Peter, Jesus said to him, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people” (Luke 5:10). We see that their qualification for the work of God does not come from them but from God. It is not their personal achievement; it is God's grace. Therefore, we received God's call out of His gratuitous love. That is why Paul could say, “But by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

            Second, is their availability to do God's will and the readiness to follow His directives. As soon as Isaiah hears the voice of the Lord asking, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” his immediate response was: “Here am I; send me!” (Isaiah 6:8). In the case of Peter and his partners, we are told that “they left everything and followed him” (Luke 15:11) without looking back. And Paul threw himself with so much zeal into God's work that he worked harder than all those who were called before him, though as he is quick to points out, “it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

            Today, the good Lord continues to ask us: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Are you ready to say “Here am I; send me!”

            He needs you to His herald to all men! He needs you to be like Isaiah, who will proclaim the Good News of God's love in the temple, our chapel, prayer meetings and in our BEC's sharing or like Paul, who will announce it in foreign lands to the ends of the earth, or like Peter, who will speak up for God in the workplace and bring their coworkers and business partners to know and follow the Lord.

            Feel unworthy and incompetent to work for God? You're not alone! Thus, let us learn from Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

            Do not be afraid. Rest assured that the Lord himself will see to it that He renders you fit for the job He wants you to do for Him, as He did with Isaiah, with Paul, and with Peter.

EndNote:

I indebted much of this reflection from the sermon of Fr. Ernest Munachi Ezeogu, may his soul rest in peace in the bosom of our good Lord!

Thursday of 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time (February 4, 2016)

Thursday of 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time

1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12; 1 Chronicles 29:10. 11. 11-12. 12; Mark 6:7-13

The Mission of the Twelve Apostles

The Gospel:

Photo from google images: Disciples sent by two

"Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them."

Reflection:

            Before celebrating the Mass (February 4, 2016 at 5PM), I happened to pass our parish office to talk for a while with the parish secretary and nanay Bebe. Here came a teacher asking nanay Bebe to teach her singing the psalm of the day. I appreciated her courage and guts. She said in reply, "even if I'm not a singer and so I'm afraid to fail and fumble in my tune but I have to do this to conquer my fears and for the greater glory of the Lord." I'm speechless of her reply. I just shyly smile at her and said "let's go, let's celebrate our Mass!" Of course, with a happy heart because I just witness someone graced by God to conquer the evil that prevented the many to proclaim the Words of God.

           

            Like the 12 Apostles we were sent by God to overcome evils in our society so to build up the Kingdom of God in our midst. To effectively fulfill our mission, we have to unload and overcome our own evils. What are our evils? These are our attachments to wealth, fame and comfort, vices, bad habits and unbecoming attitudes. In doing so, our life definitely will serve us as our concrete preaching.

            God bless us all!

            

When our bias becomes a disgrace

Wednesday of 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time

2 Samuel 24:2. 9-17; Psalm 32: 1-2. 5. 6. 7.; Mark 6: 1-6

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

The Gospel:

He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Josses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

Reflection:

           

            I'm saddened and anxious whenever I remember the comments from one of our parishioners regarding how the rest of the faithful reacted for the previous elections. He said in the past, you can notice the division of the people inside the church. You can identify that those seated on the left or right pews are pro-opposition or pro-admin.

            Sad but true! Untamed political biases hamper social growth as well as spiritual ascent. Jesus' messages of friendship, equality, joy, hope and love cannot thrive within the community consumed by the erroneous views brought about by one's political biases towards the other party.

            This Philippines National Election 2016, may bring us closer to God by exercising the virtue of humility and acceptance of defeat not of vengeance and jealousy for those who cannot make it to the office. Gratitude and servanthood for those graced to win the office.

            May Jesus marvels not because of our hardened hearts but because of our efforts to live His teachings.

             God bless us all!

6th Sunday of Easter (Year B) and a Happy Mother's Day!

Source: Google

6th Sunday of Easter (Year B)

May 10, 2015

MOTHER'S DAY

First Reading:             Acts 10:25-26. 34-35. 44-48

Responsorial Psalm:    Ps. 98:1. 2-3. 3-4

Second Reading:         1 John 4:7-10

Gospel:                        John 15:9-17

"As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another."

Reflection:

            During his mass at Casa Santa Marta on May 22, 2014, Pope Francis said "a healthy Christian is a joyful Christian." He further noted that "there is no such thing as a sad Christian – stressing that it is the Holy Spirit who teaches us to love and fills us with joy."

            It doesn't mean that to be a Christian we need to be numbed with sufferings and pains. Absolutely, not! Only the dead is indifferent to such feelings. These tribulations are but inevitable in this world. Could you imagine a world or a life without such painful experiences?

            A healthy Christian knows all these trials of any sort. But accepts it happily for he/she knows there is vindication and exultation in the end of line. So Jesus exhorts us to remain in His love so that our "joy may be complete." For just as He does not exempt Himself from sufferings, He lead us the way to face it, knowing that there is always sunshine after the rain.

            A mother knows this joyful living amidst crisis in her life. She is a concrete example of a Christian who cried during her sleepless nights worrying the future of her children. Yet she manages to smile seeing she has a long way to go to offer her life to her husband and children. That's why in every son's or daughter's success there is no other person happier than a mother who sacrificed from womb to tomb.

            HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL!

4th Sunday of Easter (Year B): The Good Shepherd Sunday

4th Sunday of Easter

April 26, 2015

The Good Shepherd Sunday (Year B)

World Day of Prayer for Vocations

First Reading: Acts 4:8-12

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 118:1.8-9. 21-23. 26. 28. 29

Second Reading: 1 John 3:1-2

Gospel: John 10: 11-18

"I am the Good shepherd: the Good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and the sheep do not belong to him, abandons the sheep as soon as he sees a wolf coming, and runs away, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep; he runs away because he is only a hired man and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep. And there are other sheep I have that are not of this fold, and I must lead these too. They too will listen to my voice, and there will be only one flock, one shepherd. The Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me; I lay it down of my own free will, and as I have power to lay it down, so I have power to take it up again; and this is the command I have received from my Father."

Reflection:

     One day, a parishioner approached me for counseling. I lend her my ears to understand her issue. She told me that God has abandoned her. She felt God has left her after her graduation. I was astonished by her revelation not because it's unique but because of the time frame "after my graduation." I ask her to relate to me how her relationship with God was as a student and now that she's already working. Accordingly, she prayed fervently for all her needs and for her family too. She felt His presence everyday in her prayers. Suddenly, after having a job this religious experience has drastically changed. She can't feel God anymore though the fervor to pray was still there. Getting curious, I asked her why? Anxieties and worries of the unknown overwhelmed her. Most often prompted her to shorten her prayers, think much of her work and the ways how to please her boss. Furthermore, to alleviate these worries, she hangs out with her friends leaving her prayer life ignored.

     "There you are!" I told her. "You abandon God not God abandons you. You consider your troubles as if God's way of neglecting you. It might be an invitation to be with Him intimately once more. You forgot one thing you usually do, to pray unceasingly by surrendering your worries upon Jesus, our savior and let Him carry you on your journey. One mistake, our brothers and sisters in Jesus is committing, to carry their problems as if God has nothing to do with it. Our worries, issues and problems are our concrete materials for prayer. Being down by these disorders is an eventual opportunity of our life when we realize we are weak because casting our troubles upon Him when we realize Jesus is stronger than evil. Your graduation does not make you a superwoman. Remain weak, as in stay being vulnerable to sorrow and pain so that you continually needing Jesus. Let Jesus empowers you. Learn the way of St. Paul handling his turmoil as he said in 2 Cor. 12:10 "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

     Have you experienced the same?

     Never say Jesus abandons you! Our gospel reminds us that a good shepherd (Jesus himself) is willing to lay down his life for us to remain in Him. Indeed, he gave up His life on the cross so that whoever remains with Him up to that moment on dying oneself for His glory is together with Him in heaven.

    Listen to His voice in the ordinary things in your life. He's talking, guiding and journeying with you every day.

   So too with His church, Jesus did not left His community unattended. He continually sent workers to His flock to continue His shepherding mission. As the church celebrates the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, let us invoke the Holy Spirit to send more ardent workers to His church: 

"O God, You have chosen the Apostles to make disciples of all nations and by Baptism and Confirmation have called all of us to build up Your Holy Church."

"We earnestly implore You to choose from among us, Your children, many priests, brothers and sister who will love You with their whole heart and will gladly spend their entire lives to make You known and loved by all. Amen."

My Palm Sunday Reflection: On Jesus' Triumphal Entrance into Jerusalem (Mark 11:1-10)

This gospel reading on Mark 11:1-10 is proclaimed during the liturgy celebrated outside the church on which palms would be blessed by the priest and lay assistants and procession to the church follows.

            Jesus' entry into Jerusalem so to speak could be His intro for the final stage of His public ministry on earth.

           

            But take note of His strategy. At a distance before entering the Holy City, He instructed two of His disciples to go ahead of the group. Enter into a village and find a "colt tethered on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone should say to you, "Why are you doing this?' reply, "The Master has need of it and will send it back here at once." And so it happened as it was told by Jesus.

            The symbolism of Jesus' action here is so rich that no one could help himself but to awe the divinely design. But let us try to decipher some possible meanings out of the symbols.

         colt. Accordingly, a colt is a male horse of not more than four years of age. It is young,     inexperienced therefore meager. Since the colt is young, "no one has ever sat" it, so it is pure and unblemished.

             bystanders. They are the people who saw the disciples untied the colt. It would be logical for us to assume the rage of these people seeing two strangers seemingly stealing an animal belonging to one their neighbors. But as they heard that the, "Master has need of it and will send it back here at once," they backed off and permitted the disciples to bring the colt to Jesus.

            Could it not because of the bystander's concession of bringing the colt to Jesus by His disciples, we have another story to tell. But that's beyond our capacity to imagine.

How does the account tell of Jesus?

            As foretold by the prophet Zechariah, (Zechariah 9:9), "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey." Then, Jesus fulfills the prophecy of old. Riding on a colt maintains His humility as depicted in Philippians 2:6, "who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped." Since, He is famous already and many people have looked at Him with so much expectation as a Royal King who would lead his people against the Roman power, He could have demanded His followers or supporters to create a chariot adorned with full regalia of an earthly king. But He is not that earthly king many people have expected. He is the Son of God, the King in Heaven who stoops down to liberate His people from the bondage of sin. The outright concession or permission of the bystanders tells us that the Lord of Heaven has the authority of everything. Jesus as the Word (John 1:3) from whom everything was made and everything was created for Him (Colossians 1:16), is the ultimate owner of everything. Therefore, whatever He wants to use He would make use of it to advance His ministry on earth.

What does it means for us today?

            The colt symbolizes our God-given gifts. Many gifts, in fact countless gifts that falls under the three known categories as Talent - Time - Treasure. Many times we doubt our sharing. We even regard it as nothing or useless. But take note nothing is meager or useless in the name of the Lord. Never doubt it. Who knows that your little sharing might be the greatest contribution of humanity in Jesus' project, which means your efforts on giving up something for God's cause might be the corner stone in Kingdom of Heaven.

            Let us learn they way of the bystanders' attitude on hearing the Good News from the disciples, the "Master has need of it and will send it back here at once." They instantly obeyed the Master. Right there and then, they have allowed themselves to be subjected of God's authority in order to fulfill Jesus' ministry in Jerusalem. Take note of the assurance Jesus gave to them through His disciples "and will send it back here at once." I remember the known parlance that goes "Give it away and it will right comes back you" with blessing of a hundredfold.

            Are you resolved to readily give up your colt whenever God ask for it?

            A BLESSED HOLY WEEK TO ALL!