June 28, 2015 Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24/Psalm 30/2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15/Mark 5:21-43 (or: 5:21-24, 35b-43)
Today's Sunday Gospel gives emphasis on faith as an instrument in the miracles of Jesus. We witness two kinds of miracles of Jesus in our Gospel for this Sunday - a healing miracle and raising the dead back to life. In the longer version of our Sunday Gospel, Jesus heals a woman who has been bleeding for twelve long years and raises Jairus' daughter back to life. Faith is the key for the Lord to assist us in our needs. In the longer version of our Sunday Gospel, Jesus heals a woman bleeding for twelve full years. She has been to numerous physicians, but she was never cured. Not a single doctor could cure the woman of her illness. The bleeding she had could not stop for twelve full years and not a single physician could not stop the hemorrhage. The woman afflicted with hemorrhage then hears news about Jesus of Nazareth going into the area. She probably heard a lot about the Lord Jesus as a miracle worker. She heard that Jesus cured many people of their illnesses and afflictions. The problem is, there is a huge crowd following Jesus on the way to the house of Jairus. When she was following Jesus, the woman believed that she will be cured of her illness. With full faith that her bleeding will stop, she touched Jesus' garment, Jesus knew that He lost power due to someone touching Him. He was being pressed by the crowd, and yet He knows that one person touched Him, causing Him to lose power. Hence, the question of Jesus, "Who touched Me?" Jesus knows that someone touched Him. Jesus knows that He lost power due to someone touching Him. The woman openly admits that she was the one who touched Him, and by touching His clothing, she was cured of her affliction. Upon hearing the woman's testimony, Jesus assures her that it is her faith that has healed her. If the woman did not have faith in the healing power of the Lord, she wouldn't be cured of her illness. Now, on their way to Jairus' house, Jairus received news that his daughter has died. The messengers told Jairus not to bother the Lord. But, Jesus reassures him, telling Jairus to have faith and his daughter will be healed. When they went to the house of Jairus, Jesus raises the dead daughter of Jairus back to life. Christ commands the girl to get up. Upon the Lord's command, the girl came back to life. Faith in the power of God is the key to God listening and helping us in our needs. When we have faith in the Lord, He will not ignore or reject our calls or needs. Rather, the Lord will respond to us by helping and granting our needs.
June 7, 2015 Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) (B) Exodus 24:3-8/Psalm 116/Hebrews 9:11-15/Mark 14:12-16, 22-26
Our Gospel for this Corpus Christi Sunday, the Solemnity of the Precious Body and Blood of Christ, is the Last Supper narrative taken from the 14th chapter of the Gospel of St. Mark. In the Last Supper, Jesus institutes the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. As Catholics, we believe that Jesus is truly present in the Holy Eucharist. The sacramental bread and wine is truly the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Christ is truly present during the Mass in the form of bread and wine. There are different beliefs about the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. There are Protestants that believe that the presence of Jesus is just symbolism. Others say that Jesus is spiritually present in the Eucharist. But, for us Catholics, we believe that Jesus is truly and literally present in the Eucharist. We believe that Jesus is truly present in the Sacramental Bread and Wine. When Jesus instituted the Eucharist in the Last Supper, Jesus said, "This is My Body...This is My Blood." He did not say that the bread and wine are representations or symbols of His Body and Blood. Rather, Jesus said these words, "This is My Body...This is My Blood." Jesus Himself confirms His true, literal and real presence in the Eucharist when He instituted the Eucharist. In the Eucharist, Jesus satisfies our deepest hunger and thirst. We experience hunger and thirst all the time, but there are also hungers and thirsts that food cannot satisfy. Jesus knows our deepest hungers and thirsts. This is why He gives His Body and Blood as food for our soul. The Body and Blood of Christ is our spiritual food. Masses are celebrated not only on Sundays; Masses are celebrated daily. Whenever we go to Mass, Jesus is with us. Although He goes everywhere with us, the mysterious miracles occurs during the Mass. During the transubstantiation, the Sacramental Bread and Wine becomes the Body and Blood of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ becomes present and is with us during the Eucharist. He is present in order to satisfy our hunger and thirst that cannot be satisfied by physical food. As we celebrate Mass every Sunday or everyday, let us adore the Lord in the Eucharist. He is truly present in the Eucharist. The Lord Jesus Christ said that the Eucharistic elements (Sacramental Bread and Wine) are His Body and Blood. Who are we to doubt the presence of Jesus when He said that it He is truly present in the Bread and Wine?
February 15, 2015 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46/Psalm 32/1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1/Mark 1:40-45
Our Gospel for this Sunday shows the mercy and compassion of our Lord towards the poor. The Lord Jesus cleanses a leper out of mercy and compassion for the leper. Jesus shows His mercy and compassion to the leper who begged with all humility to cleanse him from his leprosy. Being the merciful and compassionate Lord as He is, Jesus grants the request of the leper and cleanses him from his leprosy. During the time of Jesus, whenever a person has leprosy, he would be declared unclean by the Jewish authorities. Just as how the Lord instructed Moses and Aaron in the First Reading, the Jewish authorities declared a person unclean if a person has any infections in his skin, especially leprosy. They were separated from society, their families and their friends until they are cured or until they die. Whenever there would be people passing by places where there are lepers, the lepers would have to shout, "Unclean! Unclean!" just so that those passing there won't be affected. Lepers lived very hard lives. The leper, upon hearing the news about Jesus Christ, did not hesitate to approach Jesus and ask for His mercy. He trusted that Jesus would be show mercy to him. He trusted that the Lord would cleanse him from his leprosy. Jesus, being the merciful and compassionate Lord, granted His request. The Lord's reply to the leper's request, "I do will it. Be clean." He showed His mercy and compassion towards the leper. The Lord knows how hard it is for the leper. The Lord knows that the leper is living a very hard life away from his loved ones. He was one with the pain and suffering that the leper experienced. At the request of the leper, Jesus cleansed the leper of his leprosy. At once, the leper was cured. The leprosy was gone from his skin. The skin of the leper was back to normal. He was healed from his disease. What Jesus did for the leper gave the leper great joy. The leper is finally free from the disease that separated him from his family and friends. After a very long period of time, the leper can finally go back to his loved ones. Like the leper, let us trust in the mercy and compassion of our Lord. Our Lord is truly merciful and compassion. He will show us His mercy and compassion when we ask. The Lord will listen to the plea of a sincere heart. God will never refuse to show His mercy and compassion to a person who is sincere and poor in heart.
February 1, 2015 Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) Deuteronomy 18:15-20/Psalm 95/1 Corinthians 7:32-35/Mark 1:21-28
Four years have passed since the Jesuit Communications Foundation (JESCOM) aired a documentary on ABS-CBN Channel 2 called, "Liwanag sa Dilim." (English translation: Light in Darkness) as part of the said channel's Holy Week special programming on Holy Week 2011. The documentary featured Fr. Jocis Syquia of the Archdiocese of Manila, Fr. Jojo Zerrudo of the Diocese of Cubao, and Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle of Manila (who was the Bishop of the Diocese of Imus, Cavite, at that time). The topic of the documentary? You don't have to think twice. It was a documentary on exorcism. I really liked the way Fr. Jojo Zerrudo described exorcism. Exorcism is not a demonstration or manifestation of God's power. It is an expression of God's love for the one being exorcised. The Lord used His power to drive out demons from the person the demons are afflicting and possessing. But, the main reason for the Lord doing this is His love, mercy and compassion towards the person being afflicted and possessed. Exorcism is a sacrament of love. God's love is shown towards the person being afflicted by the devil in the sacrament of Exorcism. Through God's great power, the Lord commands the evil spirits to go away from the person being afflicted and leave the person being exorcised. The devil may be powerful, but the power of the Lord God is greater than the devil's power. In the Gospel for this Sunday, we hear that Jesus drives out a demon after teaching with authority. Jesus displays His mercy and compassion towards the person being possessed by the devil. Christ did not want to see the person being possessed by the devil any much longer. The Lord wanted the person being possessed to live freely in order to serve Him. With all His power as God, the Lord Jesus Christ exorcises the person and drives the demons away from the person. The whole Church, especially in the Philippines, witnessed last January the Apostolic Visit of our Holy Father Pope Francis to the Philippines. The theme of the Papal Visit to the Philippines was, "Mercy and Compassion." In a span of four days, Pope Francis showed to all the Filipinos, especially the victims of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in Leyte the mercy and compassion of God. Pope Francis, the vicar of Christ here on earth, expressed to all of us, especially the Filipino Catholics, that the Lord God is merciful and compassionate to all. We hear the same message in today's Sunday Gospel. Jesus displays His love, mercy and compassion towards the person being possessed. By exorcising the possessed person, He shows how much He loves the person. The Lord Jesus will not allow the person to be afflicted or enslaved by the devil. He wants us to serve Him with all freedom and free will. He will free us from our afflictions, slavery, possessions, and evil things in life. REFLECTIVE SONG: "Mercy and Compassion" - Aia de Leon ft. Michael Bulaong (composed by Noel Miranda) From the Album: "MERCY AND COMPASSION: SONGS FOR POPE FRANCIS" (Jesuit Music Ministry)
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) Jonah 3:1-5, 10/Psalm 25/1 Corinthians 7:29-31/Mark 1:14-20
Our readings for this Sunday talks about the call to change. God calls everyone to change their ways. We hear in the First Reading how God sent the prophet Jonah to Nineveh in order to warn the people that God will destroy the city of Nineveh if they do not change their ways. At first, Jonah disobeyed the Lord because he didn't want to and went on board on a boat to another place in order to escape from the Lord. But, after the experience of the storm and being eaten by the whale, Jonah obeyed the Lord's command to go to Nineveh and preach the message of God. The people of Nineveh heard the message of God, and upon hearing it, turned away from their sinful ways and prayed to God for mercy. They wore sack clothes as a sign of repentance. No feasting went on upon hearing the news from Jonah. They had forty days to repent and turn back to God. As a result of their repentance, God did not continue with the plan to destroy Nineveh. God's mercy and compassion towards the sinners prevailed. The Lord spared the people of Nineveh from His wrath because they repented and turned back to Him. At the start of today's Sunday Gospel, we hear Jesus preaching repentance to all the people. He says, "The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel." (Mark 1:15) Jesus calls upon His countrymen in Galilee to repent and believe in the Gospel. He is calling everyone, even up until today, to repent and turn back to God. The second part of the Gospel this Sunday talks about the first disciples of Jesus. The first four disciples of Jesus were fishermen - Saints Peter, Andrew, James (the Great) and John. Despite being fishermen and unqualified, Jesus chose the four fishermen to be His disciples. The lives of the first four disciples - the fishermen - were changed since the day Jesus called them. Their mission is to no longer to be fishermen. Instead, they were chosen to be fishers of men. The first disciples now have a new mission. God is calling each and everyone of us to have a change of heart. What will be our response? How will we respond to God's call to change our lives and turn back to Him?
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (B) Is 42:1-4, 6-7 (or: 55:1-11)/Ps 29 (or: Is 12)/Acts 10:34-38 (or: 1 Jn 5:1-9) Gospel: Mk 1:7-10
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. This day is the official end of the Christmas season. We now transition to Ordinary Time where we will hear about the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. A misconception of many is that the Christmas season ends in the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. What many are unaware of is that the season of Christmas does not end with the Epiphany. Rather, according to the calendar of the Church, we end the Christmas season on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Why? Last Sunday, we celebrated the Epiphany of the Lord. We commemorate how God manifested Himself as a baby. The Lord, from being mighty and great, became lowly and humble, even small as a baby. In today's celebration, we commemorate another manifestation of the Lord through His baptism. The Lord manifests Himself as an obedient and humble servant of the Father. Jesus did not have to line up with everyone to be baptized by John the Baptist. Besides, Jesus had no sins at all. He is the one John the Baptist has been talking about. But, Jesus humbled Himself. We see the humility of Jesus. By being one with the sinners who line up at the Jordan River in order to be baptized by John the Baptist, Jesus shows His mercy and compassion towards every humankind. As Jesus rises from the waters of the Jordan River, we would see that the Father speaks from Heaven. The Father and the Holy Spirit introduces the Son. The Messiah has been manifested once again in the Jordan River. Because of Christ displaying His humility by lining up at the Jordan River to be baptized, the other two members of the Trinity - the Father and the Holy Spirit - exalt Him as He ascends in the waters of the Jordan River. The Baptism of Jesus also symbolizes the start of Jesus' mission. From staying with the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph in Nazareth (tradition has it that Joseph died before Jesus started His earthly ministry), Jesus moves out of His home and comfort zone and begins the mission and ministry the Father gave Him. Christ could have rejected the will of God the Father, but He chose to obey the will of the Father. Like Jesus, let us be obedient to the will of the Father. God has chosen us to become missionaries in this world. We are sent by the Lord to preach His word to each and everyone of us through our words and actions. God is calling each and everyone of us to serve Him by spreading His word to the world. We are called to be witnesses. We have a mission from God. It is up to us how we will respond to it.
January 4, 2015 Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord Isaiah 60:1-6/Psalm 72/Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6/Matthew 2:1-12
On this first Sunday of January, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. We commemorate on this Sunday the manifestation of the Lord. God reveals Himself to all the nations. Three wise men from the East, Gentiles in the eyes of the Israelites, came all the way to Israel to adore the Christ Child. Jesus, the Christ Child born in a poor stable in Bethlehem, was the reason of the journey of the Wise Men, also known as the Magi, from the East all the way to Israel. Although the Magi were Gentiles, they heard the prophecies of the Old Testament Prophets about a king, the Messiah, being born. They also used their knowledge about the stars in order to track where this newborn king is born. In today's day and age, most people around the world (I don't know in the Philippines, though; we in the Philippines might have though.) use GPS (Global Positioning System) in order to find a certain location. I just thought that if the Magi had a GPS at that time, they would be able to go the place of the Lord's birth immediately. But, there was no GPS obviously, so they studied the stars in order to track where the newborn king can be found. The Magi visited King Herod in Judea, first. They went to ask where can they find the baby Jesus, the newborn king. The Wise Men came to Israel, not for King Herod, but for the Child Jesus. The intention of the Wise Men caused everyone, even King Herod, to be surprised. Although it was proclaimed to the Israelites by the prophets that the Messiah will come, they did not look for the star that would lead them to the birthplace of the Messiah. King Herod was also shocked. He wants to be the king of Israel. King Herod does not want any competitors for his throne. When King Herod heard of the Messiah being born, he views the Baby Jesus as a threat to his political kingdom. In the later part of Chapter 2 in the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, we would hear that Herod ordered every baby boy to be killed in order to be sure about eliminating the baby Jesus. This shows King Herod being greedy. He abused his power as king of Israel. He sees Jesus as an interference to his political ambitions. In the Old Testament, the prophets prophesied about the coming of the Messiah. The Israelites, in the Gospel, were familiar of the prophecy, but they were not interested on looking for the Child Jesus - the promised Messiah - in order to adore Him. Not even the scribes and Pharisees in the Gospel were interested in looking for the Christ Child. Despite their knowledge about the scriptures, they neglected it and were not interested in looking for the newborn Messiah in order to adore Him. When the Wise Men and Herod learned about the whereabouts of the newborn King, the Wise Men were sent by Herod to go and search for the child. Herod even instructed the Magi to return to him after the Magi found the Christ Child so that Herod may worship Him as well. But, in reality, Herod plots to kill the Christ Child. Herod wasn't willing to give up his throne to anyone who is deemed a threat to his political kingdom. As the Wise Men went to Bethlehem, they found the star again. The star that led them to Israel. The star that would lead them to the birthplace of Jesus. The reappearance of the star of Christ gave great joy to the Magi. After a very long journey from the East, the Wise Men were able to find the birthplace of the Christ Child. Christ, through the light of the star, led the Magi to Him. The Lord knew the intentions of the Magi - find the baby Jesus. The star of the Lord appeared once again and led the Magi to the manger. Finding the Baby Jesus at last gave great joy to the Magi. After a long journey, the Wise Men found what they were looking for - the baby Jesus. Despite the Magi being Gentiles, it did not stop them from looking for the baby Jesus. The baby Jesus was the reason for the Wise Men going to Israel, particularly to Bethlehem. The Magi's journey to Bethlehem ended with great joy. Let us look for Jesus. Just like the Wise Men in the Gospel, let us journey in search for the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus is the Alpha and Omega - the beginning and the end. He is the reason of our journey here on earth. We, one day, will return back to Jesus Himself. At the end of our life's journey here on earth, we will find Jesus once again. Jesus is the source of the great joy of the Magi and everyone. At the end of our journey here on earth, Jesus will give us great joy, if we look and search for Him with all our heart and mind, just like the Wise Men.
Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, Joseph (B) Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 (or: Gn 15:1-6; 21:1-3)/Ps 128 (or: Ps 105)/Col 3:12-21 (or: Heb 11:8, 11-12, 17-19)/Lk 2:22-40 (or: 2:22, 39-40)
In the First Reading from the book of Genesis, we hear that God has promised Abraham that he will be the father of faith. God has promised Abraham that despite his old age, he and his wife Sarah will bear a son and that his generation will be as many as the stars in the sky. Although it seemed impossible for Abraham and Sarah to have a child in their old age, Abraham trusted the will and word of God. Because of that, God rewarded Abraham for his faith by giving Abraham and Sarah a son, who is Isaac. The author of the letter to the Hebrews in the Second Reading talks about the continuation of Abraham's story, especially when Abraham's faith was tested. God tested Abraham by commanding him to sacrifice Isaac. Although Abraham was hurt by the request of God, he still did it anyway to prove to God that he trusts in His word and will. Just as Abraham was about to kill Isaac, God sent His angel to prevent Abraham from murdering Isaac because he has proved his faith in God. God saved Isaac from death. We hear the narrative of the Presentation of the Lord in the Gospel for the Feast of the Holy Family. Mary and Joseph bring the baby Jesus to the temple in order to be presented in front of the Lord God. As Jews, Mary and Joseph follow the law of Moses that every child should be brought and presented to the temple forty days after the birth of the child. The Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph follow and observe the law of Moses. They show obedience to the law of Israel. At the day of the presentation of the baby Jesus, Simeon prophecies the mission of the baby Jesus. Jesus' mission is to save mankind from sin. Simeon also prophecies that the heart of the Virgin Mary will be pierced by a sword because of what will happen to Jesus. Simeon prophecies that Jesus will die for the salvation of mankind. Although this will happen for the good of mankind, this will cause pain in the heart of the Blessed Virgin. The Blessed Virgin's heart will be deeply wounded and hurt because of what will happen to Jesus. But, did that cause the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph to lose hope and faith in the Lord? NO. Their faith in the Lord's will was still strong. Although they do not understand why it should happen, they still trust in the Lord. Whatever Jesus' mission is, no matter how dangerous the mission Jesus will undertake, they will not stop or prevent Jesus from doing the Father's will. They will raise Jesus and protect Him from danger in His younger years, but once Jesus is a fully grown man, they will not prevent Him from doing His mission. Like the Holy Family, let us be obedient and trust in the word and the will of God. God's will brings goodness to everyone. God's will is for everyone's good. Let us pray to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph to help us in being obedient and trusting the will of God. Jesus, Mary and Joseph had deep faith in God, obeyed and followed His will.
Fourth Sunday of Advent (B) 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16/Ps 89/Rom 16:25-27/Lk 1:26-38
Our Sunday Gospel for today is about the Annunciation. The Archangel Gabriel announces to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she is chosen by God in order to be the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as how the angel Gabriel said to the Virgin Mary, the Virgin Mary was found with favor in God. God was pleased at Mary that He chose her to be the mother of the Word-made-flesh - Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity. The fiat of the Blessed Virgin Mary gave the go-signal for Jesus to be born. God chose Mary among all women to be the mother of Christ. Mary approved God's request for the Messiah to be born of her. She allowed God to work His plan for her and for the whole world. We could say that the Blessed Virgin Mary had plans for her own. She was already betrothed to St. Joseph and they could have lived a simple life together. But it all changed when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary. If Mary did not accept God's will, the whole world would still be slaves of sin. Mankind would still be slaves of sin. We would still be living under the bondage of sin. We wouldn't be free or saved from sin. But Mary accepted the will of God. Her faith and trust in God became the way for her to accept the will of God. Thus, Mary allowed God to work His plan of salvation. The Blessed Virgin accepted God's plan and gave the go-signal for Jesus to be born. God did not will for mankind to become slaves of sin. The Lord was hurt on the sight of mankind under the slavery of sin. It was not God's plan or will for mankind to be slaves of sin. He planned to free mankind from sin, just as how He freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. That's why God decided to become man, just like all of us, in the person of Jesus. By becoming man, God expresses that He is one with mankind. Jesus is our Emmanuel - God with us. Why? Because Jesus Himself is God, the Second Person in the Trinity. Mary became the way in order for God to become man. The Blessed Mother allowed God to work His plan of salvation. Jesus came here into earth as a human like us, through Mary. This is why the Blessed Virgin Mary is very important for all Christians. If it not for Mary's fiat or submission to the will of God, we would still be all slaves of sin. The fiat of the Blessed Mother paved the way for the salvation of mankind.
Third Sunday of Advent (B) Is 61:1-2a, 10-11/Lk 1/1 Thes 5:16-24/Jn 1:6-8, 19-28
Our Gospel for this Third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday, is about John the Baptist revealing his identity. John the Baptist denies being the Messiah when he was asked if he was the Messiah. With great bravery, John the Baptist said the truth. John the Baptist knows that he is not the Messiah. Rather, he is chosen and sent by the Lord God in order to prepare the way of the Messiah. He even said that there is someone greater than him who will come after him. The person greater than John the Baptist who will come after him is none other than Jesus Christ. If John the Baptist said that he is the Messiah, he is fooling himself and the people that come to him. John the Baptist is not being a man of his word. John the Baptist would become a hypocrite if he said that he is the Messiah. He calls on everyone to turn away from sin and be baptized in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. But, if John the Baptist said that he is the Messiah, he is committing a sin. He has sinned against himself, the people he is baptizing, and most of all, against God. That is if John the Baptist said that he is the Messiah. But, John the Baptist knows that he is just the best man. If we would describe it with a wedding scenario, John the Baptist is the best man. He just prepares the bride and everyone to meet the man who will be married. That is John the Baptist's role. John the Baptist is preparing everyone to meet Jesus Christ. With whole honesty and humility, John the Baptist is fulfilling his role as the forerunner of the Messiah. He knows his mission here on earth, and he is fulfilling it. Telling the truth does take a lot of courage and strength. Being honest is quite hard for us, especially during these times. Let us ask the Lord through the intercession of St. John the Baptist to be honest. John the Baptist chose to be brave by telling the truth about his identity. Like John the Baptist, let us be honest to ourselves and to our neighbors. If we tell lies, we are fooling ourselves and our neighbor. But, there is one person who we cannot fool - God. God knows who we are, even things that we don't know about ourselves.
Second Sunday of Advent (B) Is 40:1-5, 9-11/Ps 85/2 Pt 3:8-14/Mk 1:1-8
Today's Sunday Gospel comes from the beginning of the Gospel according to St. Mark. St. Mark the Evangelist begins his narrative on the life of Christ by writing about the forerunner of Christ. The forerunner of the Lord is none other than his cousin, St. John the Baptist. St. John the Baptist is a very important figure in the life of Jesus. John the Baptist prepares the people to meet the Messiah, who is Jesus Himself. In the closing lines of the Gospel, John the Baptist even confesses that Jesus is greater than him. As the forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ, St. John the Baptist calls everyone to confess their sins and turn back to God. This is in preparation to meet Jesus, the long-awaited promised Messiah. John the Baptist is responsible for preparing the people for the coming of Jesus. The role of John the Baptist is like the role of the best man in a wedding. Jesus is the groom while John the Baptist is the best man. Turning back to God is a very good way to prepare ourselves for Christmas. As part of our Advent preparation, let us turn back to God by turning away from our sins. Repentance is a very good way in preparation for the celebration of Christmas. John the Baptist says in today's Gospel passage, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His path." In preparation for Christmas and for the coming of the Lord in our lives, let us prepare ourselves by turning back to the Lord. He is waiting for us. John the Baptist's message comes from God, he is just the messenger. God is calling us, the sinners, to turn back to Him. The Lord wants us to return to Him, to turn away from sin and come back to Him. One thing God would never do is to reject a sinner who repents of their sin and come back to Him. God is very merciful and compassionate. Our God is merciful, compassionate, and loving. He did not send the Messiah, Jesus Christ, to condemn us of our sins, but to save us (John 3:16). Let us heed the call of the Lord to repentance. He is waiting for us to repent. God does not want us to perish because of our sins. Although God has a punishment for those hearts who refuse to repent, it is not in His will that mankind to suffer. He wants to save mankind from sin and be with Him. God is waiting for us to return to Him. Let us return to God with all our heart by repenting of our sins and turning back to Him in preparation for Christmas and for the coming of the Lord.
First Sunday of Advent (B) Is 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7/Ps 80/1 Cor 1:3-9/Mk 13:33-37
We start a new liturgical year in the calendar of the Church. Every liturgical year starts with the season of Advent. Advent is a time of waiting and preparation for Christmas, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is not yet the Christmas season, although everybody in the world, especially in the Philippines, starts to play Christmas carols. In fact, as early as September in the Philippines, Christmas carols are starting to be played by a lot of people. Sadly, many Catholics followed the times and forgot the true reason of the season of Advent. Why does the Church give us the season of Advent? The Church gives us the season of Advent in order for us to learn the value of waiting. In this generation and age, we rush a lot. There are fast food restaurants, instant coffee, instant noodles, etc. We do not know how to wait anymore. We always rush. We have no time to wait. We want something done right away. We want everything to be instant. Everybody is impatient in this day and age. Patience is a virtue. We must learn how to be patient. Patience is a gift from God. This is why our generation needs to be very patient. Patience teaches us that everything does not come instantly. We have to wait. Waiting is very important. Not everything comes instantly or very fast. Some things that will happen will need our patience. It is important to be patient. We need to be patient. Patience helps us learn how to wait. Waiting is also a good time to prepare. While waiting, a very good thing to do is to prepare. For example, when a friend or loved one who you haven't met for a very long time. When you learn that he will visit your place, what would you do? Won't you prepare? You would prepare your place for him/her to stay, you would prepare yourself as well. You would clean the house, prepare some food for him/her after his/her journey, you would dress up well for his/her arrival, etc. In this season of Advent, we are to prepare ourselves spiritually to celebrate Christmas - the Solemnity of the Lord's birth. How do we prepare ourselves spiritually in this season of Advent? By repenting our sins and turning back to God. Jesus is waiting for us to prepare a place for Him in our hearts. We have a place in His heart. Let us accept Jesus into our hearts, just as how He accepted us into His heart. As we wait for Jesus to be born in our hearts, let us prepare ourselves spiritually in order for Jesus to come and be born once again in our hearts, just as how He was born in a stable in Bethlehem the First Christmas.
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) Isaiah 45:1, 4-6/Psalm 96/1 Thessalonians 1:1-5b/Matthew 22:15-21
During the time of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Israelites were living under the rule of the Roman empire. As people living under the Roman rule, the Israelites were required to pay taxes to the Roman empire. Their taxes go to Rome, to where the emperor lives. Tiberius Caesar was the emperor during the time of Jesus. Tiberius Caesar, by the way, succeeded his father, Caesar Augustus, who was the emperor of Rome during the time of Christ's birth. Because people at that time had to pay taxes to Rome, the people during the time of Christ were very angry at the Romans because they were ruthless and vicious towards Israel. Many of them attempted to overthrow the Roman government by force. Some Israelites decided to work for the Roman government as tax collectors. Examples of Israelites that became tax collectors are St. Matthew the Evangelist (who became an apostle of Jesus and the author of today's Sunday Gospel reading) and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). For many Israelites, what some of their countrymen did to work for the Roman government as tax collectors was an act of betrayal to their country. According to many zealots, these people have betrayed their nation and caused a very big sin in the eyes of God and man. Now in the Gospel, two groups have met together in order to trap Jesus. These two groups have opposing beliefs. These two groups are the Pharisees and the Herodians. The Pharisees and Herodians have opposing beliefs. But how in the world were they able to unite and become a team? Jesus is the reason for their team-up. They rejected Jesus and look at Him as an enemy. Jesus is the common enemy for the two groups in order to team up. Another religious group during the time, the Sadducees, also opposed Jesus. The Pharisees have teamed up with other religious groups (Herodians and Sadducees) in order to get rid of Jesus. The question the two groups asked Jesus is: Is it legal or illegal to pay taxes to Caesar? If Jesus answered yes or no, He will be trapped and arrested. Why? If Jesus says yes, then He will be a traitor in the sight of many people. Jesus betrays His nation Israel for Rome if He answers yes. But, if Jesus says no, Jesus will be seen as a rebel. The Pharisees, Herodians and other enemies of Jesus will have a case to present to the Roman government in order for Jesus to be put to death. Either way, it is a trap. Jesus is in danger. Jesus is aware of what is happening. He knows that the question is being posed to Him out of malice and in order to trap Him. The Lord knows that His enemies are using nice words in order for Him to twist His tongue and be caught off guard. Jesus is aware that these groups approached Him in order to set a trap and arrest Him. He knows that the two groups want Him arrested and killed. If the Lord wanted, He would have just ignored them and continued teaching others. The Lord answers the question in three parts. First, the Lord asks them for a coin. Second, the Lord asks them what image do they see on the coin. The obvious answer is Caesar's face is on the coin. Very surprising. We could probably ask, isn't the Lord familiar with what the coin looks like? As an Israelite, the Lord should probably know what the coin looks like. But, the Lord uses this for the third part of His answer. The third and final part of the Lord's answer is, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." What does this mean? It means that we should both pay respect to God and our own nation. As citizens of our nation, we have to be respectful to our leaders and help them. The problems of our nation is not only the problems of our leaders. Everyone is involved whenever there are problems in our nation. As a sign of respect for our countries, we have to be help each other, especially our leaders in congress. We have to correct them if they make any errors whatsoever. By doing this, we show our love and respect for our nation. But, we have to remember that God created everything here on earth. He created the earth we live in. He created us human beings. Everything that we see around us are created by God. As a result, we have to pay what is due to God. What is due to God? Our love and respect for God. By worshiping and obeying God, we show our love and respect for God. Not only that, we have to respect our neighbor. Everyone of us human beings are made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). We have to respect and love one another as a sign of our respect and love for God. As true Christians, let us show our love for God and our nation. We have a responsibility towards one another and our nation. No one was born to live only for himself. We have a responsibility in the eyes of God. By loving and respecting our nation, we also show our love for God who created Heaven and earth. By doing so, we are giving to God what is due to Him. True Christian missionaries love and give respect to God first and above all things and also love and give respect to their nations.
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) Isaiah 55:6-9/Psalm 145/Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a/Matthew 20:1-16a
The Lord Jesus explains to us the generosity of God by using a parable in today's Gospel. The parable in our Gospel reading is about the workers in the vineyard. By this parable, Jesus shows us how God is generous. God is being personified as the owner of the vineyard. The owner of the vineyard pays the workers equally, despite the workers working in different hours. As the saying goes, "It is better late than never." Well, we say a case of this saying in today's Gospel. In the beginning of the Gospel, the owner of the vineyard hires the first group of workers and makes an agreement that they will be paid the daily wage. The first group of workers started to work at the earliest time, let's say at 4:30, 5:00 or 5:30 in the morning. While the day went by, the owner of the house still recruited more workers. At the very last hour before the work day ended, like approximately 5:00 in the afternoon, the owner hired another group of workers. He could have been contented with the workers that would work for the whole day under the heat of the sun. But no. The owner chose to look for more workers because he is very compassionate. Once the work day ended, the owner of the vineyard paid the workers. This time, the order of those being paid were reversed. The last group who worked for only one hour were paid first and they received the daily wage. The very first group, the group that worked the longest, thought that they would receive a larger pay because of their hard work for the whole day. But, instead of what they were expecting, they received the same pay as the last group. Each group of workers received the same pay. In our eyes, this would deem to be unfair. If we think according to human judgement, what the owner of the vineyard did was an injustice. The workers worked very hard for a very long time in order to earn that right. Why did the owner of the vineyard pay them the same way as he paid the other groups? Why? How come their pay was not raised for their hard work for the full day? This is an injustice. This is corruption. If we base our thinking according to human justice, this in not right. What the owner did was very unfair. But, the owner of the vineyard cleared the misunderstanding. The owner of the vineyard said that he did not cheat on them. Why? First and foremost, that was their agreement. How could there be an injustice if they both made an agreement? So, no injustice whatsoever on the part of the owner. The workers and the owner of the vineyard made an agreement. So, there is no injustice in what he did. Second, he is the owner of the vineyard. The owner of the vineyard is the boss. He gets the final say on a particular thing, like in payment. The workers were probably jealous because the owner of the vineyard is very generous. Despite all the riches the owner had, he still is very generous. Take the very last group that worked in the vineyard for example. The owner still hired the very last group because of his generosity. No one would accept them. But, the owner of the vineyard accepted them and paid them the daily wage. God continually expresses His generosity towards us. Even though we are late in turning back to the Lord, the Lord will still express His generosity towards us. Nothing would hinder or stop the Lord from being generous towards us. The Lord God will not do anything unjust or cheat us. Instead, the Lord will show us how generous He is towards us. God is very generous towards us out of His love for us. God continues to show us His generosity, mercy and compassion towards us each and everyday of our lives.
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) Ezekiel 33:7-9/Psalm 95/Romans 13:8-10/Matthew 18:15-20
Jesus teaches us how to deal with people who we have misunderstandings or problems with. We could not get rid of misunderstandings or problems in life. It is part of life. A problem big or small could cause a lot of trouble. There are a lot of times whenever we have problems or misunderstandings, especially with other people. It is not always easy. There are lots of times whenever we encounter problems. Although we try hard to avoid this, we can't because there are times that we have big problems, especially with one another. Jesus gives us three ways in order to fix our misunderstandings or problems with others. The first thing to do when a person sins is to talk to him personally. By talking to him personally, you get to explain to him what he did and why it was wrong. This reminder would help him realize his mistake. No one is born for himself. We have a responsibility. Our responsibility is our neighbor. We have to correct their mistakes. We have to fix our problems together. The second thing we have to do is to bring a witness, if he still does not listens. Witnesses will help you in correcting the person who has done wrong. Sometimes, it would take two or three people to enlighten someone's mind. If he did not change his mind when you personally talk to him (just the two of you), probably two other people would help. The witnesses you take would help him enlighten his mind and change his ways. You would be able to fix your problems with the help of others. If the second thing does not work, Jesus tells us not to surrender. Don't give up. There is a third thing to do that could help the person who has done wrong change his ways. Take him to the congregation of the Church. The Church is a welcoming community. Ask the community to pray for him. Through prayer, the one who has done wrong might change his ways. Prayer works all of the time. Prayer could possibly help resolve problems. But, if the third does not work as well, the Lord tells us to treat those who we cannot resolve our problems with as Gentiles. We can set them free. They do not belong with us. They are outsiders. So, does that mean that we don't get to care for them? No. Instead, Jesus shows us an example on how to treat people who are outsiders. Examples are St. Matthew the Apostle and Zacchaeus. They were tax collectors. They did not belong to the people at that time. But, Jesus showed mercy and compassion towards them. He visited and dined with them. Through Christ, sinners have changed their lives and turned back to God. God does not stop showing mercy and compassion towards us. The Lord is patient towards us. He will wait for us and will not stop waiting until we go back to Him and repent. Just as how the Lord God is merciful and patient towards us, let us become patient and merciful towards our neighbors. Even though some of us are hard-headed, let us not cease in showing one another love and mercy. Just as how the Lord does not stop showing love and mercy towards us, let us not stop loving and being merciful to one another. Lord God, teach us how to be merciful and loving towards one another, just as how You never cease to show mercy and love towards us. Amen.
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) Jeremiah 20:7-9/Psalm 63/Romans 12:1-2/Matthew 16:21-27
There is a story about a man who was following the Lord and carrying his cross. While the person was carrying his own cross, he felt that it was too heavy for him to carry. So, he asks the Lord if he can cut parts of the cross down. Once he got permission from the Lord to cut parts of the cross, he cuts parts of the cross until the cross was light enough for him to carry. When he and the Lord reached a cliff, the man thought that their journey was over. But the Lord said, "No, our journey is not yet over. We are going to the other cliff." The Lord used His cross in order to cross to the other cliff while His companion tried to reach the other cliff using his cross, but it was too short for him. This Sunday's Gospel talks about accepting our crosses in life. Last Sunday's Gospel talks about Peter's confession about Jesus' identity. Through the grace of God, Peter confessed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. Because of this, Jesus rewarded Peter by making Peter the rock on which Jesus will build His church and giving him the keys to the kingdom of Heaven, showing Peter's authority once Jesus leaves this world. Now, in today's Gospel reading, Jesus talks to His disciples about His mission as the Messiah sent by God. In the first part of the Gospel reading for this Sunday, Jesus now talks about His mission in the world - to suffer and die on the cross for the sake of mankind. But on the third day, Jesus is to rise again. The apostles, especially Saint Peter, did not understand what Jesus meant. When the Lord said that He is going to die for the sake of humankind, Peter and the rest of the apostles objected. Peter himself expressed his objection to what Jesus was saying. The apostles, especially St. Peter, could not understand or accept what Jesus said. "Get behind Me, Satan!" This is what Jesus said in response to Peter's objection to what Jesus said about Him being killed. For sure, we can bet that Peter felt hurt because of what Jesus called him. At first, Jesus made Peter the rock on which He will build His church and gave him the keys to the kingdom of Heaven. Now, Jesus calls him "Satan." Isn't that insulting of Jesus? Yes, the Lord sure sounds insulting. But, the Lord uses strong language to express His point. Jesus uses "Satan" to say that Peter is interfering. "Satan" means "adversary." The Lord does not refer to Peter as "Satan" or "Lucifer." Jesus teaches the disciples the conditions of discipleship in the second part of today's Gospel reading. Jesus tells His disciples that it is not easy being His disciple. Being a disciple of Jesus is going to be very hard. Why? If anyone wants to become a disciple of Christ, they would have to forget anything about themselves, take up their cross and follow Christ. There will be hardships and crosses when we follow Jesus. The truth hurts. We may have a very hard time or not accept it, but it is the truth. There will be times when we will be tested in being a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just like the Lord said, it won't be easy. One example of hardships in life are the loss of a loved one because of illness or very strong calamities. In those times, we will see ourselves questioning God. Questions like, "What did I do that God did this to me?" or, "Why have done this to me, O Lord?" It is not easy being a follower of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself had His share in following the will of God the Father. On the night before He suffered, the Lord prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane to save Him from the hour of His death. Although Jesus knew that He has to die for the sake of mankind, His obedience to the Father was tested. Jesus knows the pain of the whip, the crown of thorns and the nails that will nail Him to the heavy cross He will carry. This made Jesus pray to the Father and ask for the Father's help. At the end of His prayer, Jesus says, "Not My will, but Your will be done." Jesus surrenders to the Father's will. He submitted Himself to the will of the Father. The Lord chose to be brave and faced His death on the cross. After His prayer, the Lord did not back down. The Lord faced His death, in obedience to the will of the Father. The Father was the source of Jesus' bravery in facing His death. If Jesus wanted, He would've escaped His death easily. But, Jesus faced the cross and His death with full bravery. God the Father is the source of bravery. Let us pray to the Father for bravery, just like Jesus. The bravery God gives us will help us in facing and accepting our crosses in life. God will always be with us in every step of life. Taking up the crosses of our lives is not easy. But, God will always be with us in every step in our journey and will always help us at problematic times. Let us be one with Jesus in taking up His cross. Let us be brave in taking up our cross and follow the Lord. Dear Lord, grant us bravery and strength to face the challenges in life and take up our crosses so that we may become followers of Jesus. Amen.
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) Isaiah 22:19-23/Psalm 138/Romans 11:33-36/Matthew 16:13-20
Our Gospel for this Sunday is about the declaration of St. Peter the Apostle about the identity of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the Gospel reading, Jesus appoints Peter as the first Pope because of Peter's answer to Jesus' question regarding His identity. Peter's was given authority by Jesus because of the grace the Father has bestowed on Peter. Peter did not answer Jesus' question on his own, God the Father has revealed it the answer to Peter by His grace. The Lord used the opportunity in Caesarea Philippi in order to teach His disciples once again. This time, the Lord Jesus used the opportunity in private to test His disciples on how other people and the disciples know Him. In the quiet place of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus gets to ask His disciples two questions. Caesarea Philippi was a quiet place for Jesus and His disciples away from the crowds, away from Jesus' countrymen. For Jesus and His disciples, Caesarea Philippi is a place away for them in order to reflect and for Jesus to teach His disciples in private. While they were in Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asks the disciples two questions. First, Jesus asks the disciples what other people think about Him. Who is Jesus according to other people? He is not asking this question because He is concerned about what people think about Him. Instead, Jesus asks this question in order to know how well other people know Him. How well do other people think about Him? Let us look at what the disciples answered Him. Some say that Jesus was either John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or other prophets. Other people see John the Baptist in Jesus. We all know John the Baptist as the forerunner of Jesus. John the Baptist prepared the way of the Lord. He prepared people to greet the Messiah by baptizing them. As John the Baptist prepared the way for the Messiah, he spoke the truth. Jesus also spoke at testified to the truth. In the Gospel of Saint Mark, He also called the people to repent and believe in the Gospel, just like John the Baptist (Mark 1:15). Herod Antipas also believed that Jesus was John the Baptist. Jesus is also being compared by others to the prophet Elijah. Like John the Baptist, people think that Jesus is Elijah. Other people think that they have seen the prophet Elijah again. The prophet Elijah was the boldest among all the prophets. He challenged the prophets of the false god Baal in Mount Carmel. Jesus is also being compared to Jeremiah. Like Jeremiah the prophet, Jesus spoke boldly against greed and hypocrisy. To summarize it up, people think that Jesus is a prophet. The second question of the Lord is who He is according to His disciples. It is not about what other people think about Him now. It is about what His disciples think who He is. Other people did not get the answer correct. By asking these two questions, Jesus is teaching the disciples who He is. The other people who listened to Him did not get the correct answer about the identity of the Lord Jesus. Christ is revealing Himself once again, this time to His disciples personally. St. Peter, with the grace of God, confesses that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus is the Christ. Christ and Messiah mean the same thing. The two terminologies mean, "Anointed One." Jesus is the Chosen One, the Anointed One of God. God anointed Jesus to be the Savior, the promised Messiah. The prophecies of the prophets of the Old Testament have been fulfilled in the person of Jesus. Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promise to mankind. Jesus knew that God the Father revealed it to Peter. It was the grace of God that allowed Peter to say that Jesus is the Messiah. As a result, Jesus anointed Peter as the rock on which Jesus will build His Church. Jesus gave Peter the keys to heaven, as a sign of his authority here on earth. St. Peter will be Christ's Vicar or Representative on earth once Christ returns to Heaven. The line does not stop with Peter. It keeps continuing. Our Holy Father Pope Francis is the 266th successor of Peter. Who is Jesus? Jesus continues to ask us, "Who do you say that I am?" There are a lot of answers to the Lord's question. St. Peter, the very first Pope, gives us the most simple answer, "The Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God." Like St. Peter the Apostle, may our faith in the Lord grow deeper. May we continue to have faith in Jesus, the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God.
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) Isaiah 56:1, 6-7/Psalm 67/Romans 11:13-15, 29-32/Matthew 15:21-28
Today's Sunday Gospel talks about the encounter of Jesus with a Canaanite woman. A Canaanite woman goes to Jesus to persuade Him to cure her daughter. What happened to the woman's daughter? Her daughter is possessed by a demon. The Canaanite woman does not hesitate to go to Jesus, because she knows and believes that Jesus would help her and her daughter. Jesus tests the woman's faith in two ways. The first test was when Jesus said that He came for the Israelites, not the Gentiles. Jesus tells the woman that He can not help her and her daughter because they do not belong to the house of Israel. The woman and her daughter are outsiders, in other words. Because the woman and her daughter are not Israelites, Jesus tells them that He can't help them. He does not help outsiders. Quite racist of Jesus though. The second test was when Jesus calls the woman a dog. Who would not feel offended if a person is being called a dog by someone else? None. Isn't it surprising to see that Jesus calls a person an offending name? Yes, it sure is surprising to see Jesus calling someone an insulting name. Calling the woman a dog is very insulting. Jesus just used an insulting term towards a human being. Didn't Jesus teach about the love and mercy of God? Didn't Jesus teach about being loving and merciful towards our neighbors? His teachings are the complete opposite of the actions He is displaying in the Gospel. But, the Canaanite woman does not relent. Instead, she perseveres at remains patient. Her faith in Jesus helps her keep her ground. She does not complain about Jesus calling her offensive things. The Canaanite woman is already used to insults similar to what Jesus called her. The woman probably encountered other Jews at that time that called her a dog. For the Canaanite woman, nothing is new for her when Jesus calls her a dog because she is already used to it. Nothing was able to stop the Canaanite woman to stop asking Jesus for help. Her deep faith helped her remain patient, despite the efforts of Jesus and the disciples to make her leave. She could have left when Jesus refused to help her, but she did not. Instead, the woman persevered in asking Jesus for help. The Canaanite woman was determined to ask Jesus to cure her daughter. She would not back down. She would not surrender. She has passed the test of Jesus. The woman has showed her strong faith. Jesus was pleased at how the Canaanite woman displayed her deep faith. The Lord was moved at the Canaanite woman's faith. The Canaanite woman has passed the test of the Lord Jesus. Because of how the woman showed her faith in Jesus, Jesus grants her request. Jesus cures the daughter of the Canaanite woman. Jesus showed His mercy towards the Canaanite woman and her daughter because the Canaanite woman displayed her deep faith in the Lord. The Canaanite woman was rewarded for her deep faith. The faith of the Canaanite woman is a beautiful example for all of us. If we have faith in the mercy of God, just like the Canaanite woman in the Gospel, the Lord will show His mercy towards us. God may test our faith, just like Abraham and the Canaanite woman in the Gospel. We have to show that we have deep faith in God in the test He gives us. Once we have passed the test of God, God will show His mercy towards us. Have faith in the mercy of God. God shows His mercy towards everyone who has faith and trusts in Him. If it seems that the Lord is not answering our prayers, just like the Canaanite woman in today's Gospel reading, He is just testing our faith. Once we have passed the test of the Lord God, He will show His mercy towards us. God's mercy endures forever.
Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, priest Jeremiah 18:1-6/Psalm 146/Matthew 13:47-53
In the Philippines, the Jesuits is one of the famous priests in the country. The Jesuit priests in the Philippines run the Ateneo de Manila University. They evangelize through their programs on television, such as Kape't Pandasal every Monday-Friday mornings on ABS-CBN and The Word Exposed with Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle every Sunday mornings on ABS-CBN Sports+Action, ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), and PTV Channel 4. Asides from media, most songs that is sung during Mass in the Philippines, English or Filipino, are mostly composed by Jesuit priests, such as Fr. Manoling Francisco and Fr. Eduardo Hontiveros. I know some Jesuit priests and some priests who studied at the San Jose Seminary at the Ateneo de Manila University. The San Jose Seminary at the Ateneo does not only train seminarians to become Jesuit priests. They also train Diocesan priests. Priests such as Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Msgr. Clem Ignacio of Quiapo Church, among others. These priests are not Jesuits, but they are Diocesan priests who studied at San Jose Seminary. Diocesan priests who are alumni of San Jose Seminary are also known as Josefinos. Today is a very special day for Atenista (people who studies in Ateneo) and Jesuit priests around the world. Why? Today we remember the founder of the Jesuit Order, St. Ignatius of Loyola. Before he became a saint, Ignatius of Loyola was a soldier for Spain. He suffered a very bad, if not fatal, injury during a war. That injury started the process of St. Ignatius of Loyola's conversion. While he was recovering from his injury, he read books about the life of the Lord Jesus and other saints. These books inspired him to change his life and become a soldier of our Lord. If an ordinary person would see that Ignatius quitting being a soldier, he would probably think, "Why would he do that? He got all the riches in the world. He is living in novelty. Why would he leave all his riches behind?" For some people, they would think that St. Ignatius of Loyola is not being smart. They would think he is being dumb. Why? Because according to them, if they had the amount of riches Ignatius of Loyola had, they would literally keep it and have it only for themselves. They would think it would make them richer and richer and richer. But, Ignatius is exchanging things. St. Ignatius is exchanging all his riches for God, the true treasure. He has chosen God over all the riches of the world. St. Ignatius made the right decision in choosing God over all the riches in this world. In God, St. Ignatius found the true treasure. He is more than satisfied because he has chosen God. Ignatius became poor in spirit. He chose to become poor in spirit and God has rewarded him. For St. Ignatius, he is truly rich because he has chosen God. St. Ignatius feels more richer than ever because he has chosen God to reign over his life. He allowed God to reign on him and this makes him richer than he was when he was a soldier. The song "Take and Receive" was taken from the Suscipe Prayer of St. Ignatius. The very first words of this prayer, "Take, Lord, and receive my understanding, my memory..." By surrendering everything he has and his whole life to God, Ignatius is gaining more than what the world could give him. St. Ignatius of Loyola surrendered everything about him and was rewarded by God. In surrendering all of his riches in this world, Ignatius gave glory to God. As the motto of the Jesuits says, "Ad majorem Dei gloriam." (For the greater glory of God) St. Ignatius of Loyola surrendered everything for the glory of God. Today's Gospel is about a Parable of Jesus. We heard the last part of it in the long form of the Sunday Gospel. It is now being used again for today. The message from today's Gospel reading is if you choose God above everything and do as he wishes, you will be rewarded by God. God will reward you by allowing you to enter the kingdom of Heaven. The kingdom of God in Heaven is our main goal. What are we supposed to do in order for God to reward us being under the kingdom of Heaven? By being poor in spirit and allowing God to reign in our hearts and in our lives. Like St. Ignatius of Loyola, let us surrender ourselves to God for the greater glory of God. By surrendering ourselves to God, we are giving glory to God and becoming truly rich. God Himself is the true treasure that we should seek for. St. Ignatius became poor in spirit by leaving all his earthly riches. But, by losing his earthly possessions, he is gaining something better - the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is the greatest treasure of all. Being under the reign of God is much greater than any treasure in the world. Because of surrendering his whole life to God, St. Ignatius became truly rich. By surrendering ourselves to God, we are giving glory to God. We are gaining something better - much better than all the treasures of this world.
