Day 185: 'Apat na Boses'

Kapag isa, maganda;

Kapag dalawa, malakas at kaaya-aya;

Kapag tatlo, nakaka-ingganyang pakinggan pero parang may kulang;

Kapag apat, hindi lang buo subalit mayroong tinatawag na pagkakaisa na naghahatid ng nakakabighaning himig, ng nakikipagtalamitam na tinig, ng sumisimbayong damdamin…

Upang papurihan ang Maykapal na Siyang nagkaloob ng katalasan at kakayahan anupa’t sundin ang Kanyang kaloobang magpasakop at maglingkod;

at kilanlin ng may tiwala sa kasarinlan ang apat na boses na nakikibahagi sa nag-iisang HIMIG at TINIG.  

Day 173: 'Pagtitiwala at Pag-asa'

Ang Talinghaga sa ‘Paglago ng Butil’ ay matatagpuan lamang sa Mabuting Balita ni Markos (4.26-34)

Ipinapakita sa atin kung paanong nagkabunga ang salita ng Diyos

1.      Hindi sinabi sa talinghaga na ating binasa na ang ‘butil’ ay ang salita ng Diyos. Subalit sa naunang talinghaga na binanggit sa ika-apat na kapitulo tungkol sa ‘talinghaga ng Maghahasik’ ipinaliwanag na ang ‘butil’ ay ang salita ng Diyos. (Mk4.14; Lk 8.11)

2. Ang pagtubo o pagyabong sa pamamagitan ng Salita:

    1)      ay isang misteryo:
       a.       Ang maghahasik ay may kakayahang magtanim ng butyl, makita niya na ito ay tumubo at lumago
       b.      Subalit ang paglago ay hindi sakop ng pang-unawa ng maghahasik, sa kadahilanang hindi niya maipaliwanag ang paglago ng butil.
    2)      ay unti-unti, dahan-dahan, may sistema
        a.       Ang paglago ay hindi nangyari ng biglaan
        b.      Subalit ito ay nangyari ng may pamamaraan: tumubo muna, lumago at nagkabunga.


3. Magkagayon man, sa pamamagitan ng paglago ng itinanim na butil nagkaroon ng aanihin. Ang paghahari ng Diyos ay nakapaloob sa paghahasik, pagsibol o pagtubo, paglago at pag-ani.


4. Dito sa talinghaga ng ‘Butil’ idinidiin ang nakapaloob na Kapangyarihan sa Salita ng Diyos.
      a.       Ang may mabuti at ginintuang puso ay hindi makapamumunga sa ganang kanyang sarili 
      b.    Kinakailangan ang isang butil na may kakayahan sa kanyang sarili na magbunga at umusbong sa matabang lupa.
      c.       At ididiin din dito ang pangangailangan ng sinumang naghahasik na 1) magtiwala at 2) umasa sa kakayahan o kapangyarihan ng ‘butil’ – ang Salita ng Diyos.


5. Paano natin maisasabuhay ang talinghaga na ito?
    1)      Ang Salita ng Diyos ay may kakayahang
         a.       tayo’y palaguin
       b.      tayo’y iligtas, sapagkat ang Salita ng Diyos ay makapangyarihan; ang Salita ng Diyos ay buhay.
    2)      Subalit kinakailangan din ang ating ‘pakikipag-ugnayan,’ ‘pakikisama,’ ‘pakikipagtipan.’
      a.       kung gusto natin na ang buhay natin ay paghariaan ng Diyos, kailangan natin siyang tanggapin sa ating buhay. Tanggapin ng tama at mahusay, at hindi parang napipilitan lamang. Sa pagtanggap natin ng Salita ng Diyos kalakip nito ang tungkuling makiisa, sumunod, at magpasakop.
         b.      ngunit hindi lamang  dapat tumanggap subalit pagkatapos natin itong tanggapin, tayo naman ay inaatasan na maghasik din, magbahagi, magtanim. Dahil sa Kaharian ng Diyos tayo ay kaisa niya sa paghahasik.


 Magtiwala tayo at Umasa sa Diyos.

Day 172: 'Two's a Charm'

“Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2.41-51)

For Joseph and Mary this question is difficult to understand since it is precisely the reason why they searched for Jesus, because He is ‘not in his father’s house.’ Here, Mary focuses on herself and Joseph, while in Luke’s words Jesus’ first priority should be in His Father’s house.

‘How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’

Today I am celebrating my second year in priesthood. It’s funny because we usually ‘celebrate’ anniversaries on its first year or ten, twenty five, or fifty depending on the occasion of the celebration. Just last week, a brother in the community celebrated his thirsty six years in priesthood. I thought it should be big but it turned out to be just like one of the ordinary days except that he presided the Mass.  I on the other hand, just in my second year, thought having this kind of celebration feels a bit off. I should have done this last year. But because “I did not know that I must be in my Father’s house,” I found no sufficient ‘reason’ to have this kind of celebration.

Luke opens his Gospel with Zechariah serving in the temple and he closes it with the disciples blessing God in the temple. In the Gospel today, Jesus reiterates that ‘it is only fitting that He should be in His Father’s house.’

This is a very fitting message for people like me who ‘did not know that I must be in my Father’s house; who forgot and did not know how and why should I be in my Father’s house. 

1)      Unlike Zechariah who served in the temple, it was not clear to me that being in my ‘Father’s house’ I should be involved in service -  to be where the Father wants me and to do what the Father commands me.

2)      Unlike the disciples who were continually in the temple blessing God, I was not certain that to be in my ‘Father’s house’ I should be involved in praising and blessing God - that I am blessed by God and that being a priest I am tasked to be a blessing to others.

Today marks the beginning of my third year as a priest and I wanted to start it right. I believe this is a fitting start, to offer and celebrate a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God, ‘the Lord of harvest,’ and share the joy of the harvest with you.  As I renew my commitment as a priest may I be reminded of the two things I must do – to be of service and to be a channel of God’s blessings.

Day 166: 'This is my Body'

Feast of the Corpus Christi

June 10, 2012

1.      Historical Facts

1)      The observance of Corpus Christi as a feast of the Church has its earliest beginnings in 448 AD and was officially proclaimed a feast of the Church by Pope Urban IV in 1264. The Catholic world has been observing this feast ever since.

2)      Originally celebrated on Thursday after Trinity Sunday to commemorate the Holy Thursday’s Last Supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples. Then later in English speaking countries the feast was celebrated the Sunday after the Trinity Sunday.

2.      Theological Facts

1)      Jesus Christ is the Savior of humanity

2)      The word became flesh and dwelt among us. He is truly God and truly man. He became like us in everything except to sin.

3)      We revered his Body, so much so that Catholics put aside a day to focus all their attention on worshipping Christ in his Sacred Body.

3.      Spiritual Facts

1)      The medicine of Immortality (St Ignatius of Antioch)

2)      "...In this world I cannot see the Most High Son of God with my own eyes, except for His Most Holy Body and Blood." (St Francis of Assisi) 

3)      The greatest of all Sacraments (St Thomas Aquinas)

4)      “God dwells in our midst, in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar." (St Maximilian Kolbe) 

5)      "It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do so without the Holy Mass." (St Padre Pio)

6)       “The Mass is the spiritual food that sustains me without which I could not get through one single day or hour in my life” (Blessed Mother Teresa)

7)      "Gathering, Walking and Kneeling” – we gather around the altar of the Lord, we walk with the Lord and we kneel before the Lord in adoration (Pope Benedict XVI)

4.      What do we gain by processing the sacrament into the world and of adoring the presence of Jesus Christ in His Body?  Primarily, we are making a public statement of the following understandings: 

  1)      We REMEMBER the greatest act of sacrifice; the greatest offering – ‘This is my Body, This is my Blood (new covenant) – Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord.  

   2)      We CELEBRATE in thanksgiving for the victory, immeasurable goodness, for God’s continuous presence in our midst – that Jesus Christ is present, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity in the consecrated elements of Holy Communion.   

  3)      We BELIEVE in the promise of eternal life; in the eternal communion with Him.

Pinaka masarap na kain (tanghalian)

May isang mag-asawa na nagbahagi ng kanilang nakaraan. Nagbalik tanaw sila sa panahon na kapapanganak pa lamang  ng ilang buwan ni Misis sa kanilang anak na babae. Sa kadahilanang ito si Mister lamang ang naghahanap-buhay. Bukod sa pag-aalaga sa kanilang sanggol, si Misis din ang nag-aasikaso sa paghahanda ng kanilang kakainin at sa ibang gawaing bahay. Isang araw katulad ng nakagawian, nagsaing si Misis upang sa hapag-kainan sila’y magkasalo ni Mister na kagagaling sa paghahanap-buhay. Sa oras ng pagkain nila, punung-puno ng awa at hapis si Misis sapagkat dahil sa kawalan, ang kaniya lamang naihandang ulam ay kamatis. Sa isang nagpapa-suso na ina, at sa isang araw-araw naghahanap-buhay na ama, ang sapat na pagkain ang higit na mahalaga at kailangan. Subalit dahil isa lamang sa kanila ang naghahanap-buhay at wala silang sapat na naipon natagpuan nila ang isa’t-isa na puno ng luha ang mga mata at awing-awa sa kanilang sarili.

Magkaganunpaman pinalakas nila ang kanilang sarili at naniwala na sa kanilang pagtutulungan at pagsusumikap, makakaraos din sila sa ganuong klaseng kahirapan. Hindi nagtagal, lumaki ang bata at nagkaroon na muli ng pagkakataon na makapag hanap-buhay si Misis, at si Mister naman ay nagkaroon na rin ng mahusay na hanap-buhay, unti-unti silang nakaahon at nagkaroon ng magandang buhay, hindi-man angat na angat subalit sa kanilang hapag-kainan, ang kamatis ay hindi na ulam, subalit ito’y isang sahog sa kanilang ulam. Idinagdag pa ni Mister bilang pahabol, na may kasamang patis ang kamatis na ulam nila nuong sila’y walang sapat na makain. Ngunit sa ibinahagi nilang kwento ng buhay, ang higit na nakapagdulot sa akin ng malaking aral ay ang mga kataga ni Mister na, “Para sa akin, iyon ang pinaka masarap kong tanghalian.” 

1.      Dahil ito ang naging inspirasyon nilang mag-asawa na magsumikap at magtulungan upang asamin ang kaginhawahan at tagumpay ng buhay.

2.      Dahil ito ang naging palatandaan nila ng pag-asa, pagkakaisa, kalakasan at pag-ibig.

Ilan sa atin ang may ganitong karanasan o nakaraan? Ilan sa atin ang may ganitong pananaw sa buhay?

Sa hapag kainan nangyari ang pag-aalay at sa hapag-kainan din tayo patuloy na ina-anyayahang kumuha ng lakas, inspirasyon, tiwala at katagumpayan. Dahil ang nag-alay ay ang Diyos ng ating buhay at Diyos ng lahat ng ating ikinabubuhay.

Sa Banal na Misa patuloy na nag-aalay ang ating Panginoon ng Kanyang sarili; sa Banal na Misa patuloy Siyang iniaalay bilang pinaka mabangong Handog sa Diyos; sa Banal na Misa patuloy tayong nakikipagkaisa sa dakilang gawa at handog ng Diyos sa atin. “Sa pamamagitan Niya, at sa kasama Niya, at sa Kanya; O, Diyos Amang makapangyarihan, sa pakikipagkaisa ng Espiritu Santo; and lahat ng parangal at papuri at sa Iyo, magpasawalang-hanggan.”

Day 150 to Day 178: 'Adrenalin Rush'

The month of June rings a bell. Not the ‘wedding’ kind of bell but of the ‘second semester’ kind of bell. For this reason, I am unable to update my daily blog until the third week of June, although I had included in it some of the things I have prepared or written for my examinations. I hope to make it up, not only to you but to me as well since I have a goal to achieve and a promise to keep. May I ask you to say a prayer for me that I will end this school year with favorable results. God bless everyone.

Day 158: 'Holy Trinity, Undivided Unity'

Mt 28. 17-20

Verse:

17 – And whey they saw him they worshiped him; but some doubted.

(1.20) – But as he considered this the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.”

18 – And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

(1.21) – she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

19 – Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

(1.22) – All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

20 – teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of age.

(1.23) – “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel” (which means, God with us).

Five (5) main points:

1. God never forgets. (Is 49.15) – “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.

The devil’s suggestion: “The Lord had abandoned you.”

2. God is faithful. (Heb 10.23) – Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

The devil’s suggestion: “You are pathetic, you are hopeless.”

3. God calls. (Is 43.1) – “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”

The devil’s suggestion: “Do not believe that.”

4. God is alive. (Ex 3.14) – God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” (I will be what I will be) And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

The devil’s suggestion: “God is dead.”

5. God is LOVE. (1Jn 4.8) – He who does not love does not know God; for God is love.

The devil now loses his attempts, for it does not know God.

The first Reading (Dt 4.32-34, 39-40) assures us of the power of God. ‘Know therefore this day, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. Therefore you shall keep his statues and his commandments, which I command you this day, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD your God gives you forever.

Do not believe in the suggestion of the devil; reject its empty promises; answer its words of lies by the words of God, for the word of the LORD is upright (Ps 33.4).

Do not fear for you will not be alone. Be bold and take courage. Be led by the Spirit to the Light, to the Power and to the Truth of God, the great I AM, the Emmanuel, the one who promised, ‘and lo, I am with you always, to the close of age.’

O most Holy Trinity, Undivided Unity; Holy God, Mighty God, God Immortal, be adored. Amen.