December 7, 2008
2nd Sunday of Advent
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 40:1-5,9-11 / Psalm 85
Second Reading: 2 Pt 3:8-14
Gospel: Mk 1:1-8 Make straight the paths
Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.
John the Baptist appears in the desert and proclaims “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” He is the “voice crying out in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.’”
Hearing John’s voice, I shall prepare for the Lord’s coming into the world. I shall make straight his paths. Among other things, I shall go to confession. I shall seek forgiveness for my sins so that when the Lord comes, he will find space in my heart. Beyond the putting up of the Christmas lights and the planning of Christmas parties, I shall also make myself – and my family – ready to receive the Lord Jesus. A heart full of love for him and for my neighbor shall be my Christmas gift to him.
December 14, 2008
3rd Sunday of Advent
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 61:1-2a,10-11 / Luke 1
Second Reading: 1 Thes 5:16-24
Gospel: Jn 1:6-8,19-28 Voice in the desert
He was not the light but came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone was coming into the world.
John owns up to being the voice in the desert when priests and Levites sent by the Jews from Jerusalem inquire who he was. He then points out to them someone coming after him “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
John lives in the periphery – in the desert – and yet he becomes the center of attention, even of those from Jerusalem, the acknowledged center of all Jewish life, when he begins to preach about the coming of the Lord.
With the Lord, then, there are no peripheries. When the Spirit moves, persons at the margins become centers of change, in particular, like John and the unknown virgin from Nazareth. Not for their own personal glory, however, but for God.
December 21, 2008
4th Sunday of Advent
Readings of the Day
First Reading: 2 Sm 7:1-5,8b-12,14a,16 / Psalm 89
Second Reading: Rom 16:25-27
Gospel: Lk 1:26-38 The handmaid of the Lord
Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.
The angel Gabriel appears before Mary and informs her that she will conceive and bear a son who shall be called Son of the Most High. Mary responds, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
Suddenly, through her word, the whole history of the world drastically changes. God’s saving Word shall finally become flesh and shall live among his people. Inconceivable but true: the Most Powerful God becoming a fragile and helpless child for me; the Holy of Holies borrowing the flesh of a lowly virgin from a nondescript town. All because of Mary’s “Yes.”
May I, through Mary’s example, say “Yes!” to God.”
December 28, 2008
Feast of the Holy Family
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Gen 15:1-6,21:1-3 / Psalm 105
Second Reading: Heb 11:8,11-12,17-18
Gospel: Lk 2:22-40 The child grew
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom and the favor of God was upon him.
As Mary and Joseph present the baby Jesus in the temple, two holy persons, Simeon and Anna approach them and testify. Simeon calls the baby “light for revelation to the
Gentiles and glory for your people Israel.” Anna describes him as the “redemption of Israel.”
Yet while lofty though their words were, one fact remains: God becomes subject to human parents. In my mind’s eye, I see the child Jesus helping his father, Joseph, sand the top of a newly-made table and then assisting his mother, Mary, in setting up the table as they prepare for the Sabbath. Indeed, the “Star” of David being taught how to walk, how to eat, and how to talk even as he grows in age and in wisdom.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Palawan Reflections: 2008 Sunday Gospels -- November
November 2, 2008
Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 25:6-9 / Psalm 27
Second Reading: 1 Thes 4:13-18
Gospel: Jn 14:1-6 Many dwelling places
In my father’s house, there are many dwelling places.
Jesus assures his disciples that in his “Father’s house, there are many dwelling places.” He further strengthens them by saying, “and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may also be.”
A candle comes to life only when it is lighted. Yet, when it gets lighted, it slowly approaches it death as it melts drop by drop. A beautiful flower gets plucked and offered to a lady. Yet, the moment it gets plucked, it draws near to its end as its color fades, its fragrance vanishes, its petals wither.
Yet, such is life – death at the end of everything. But, Death is too small a price to say the face of God. Only through Death can I dwell in my Father’s house.
November 9, 2008
Dedication of St. John Lateran
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Ez 47:1-2,8-9,12 / Psalm 46
Second Reading: 1 Cor 3:9c-11,16-17
Gospel: Jn 2:13-22 The temple of his Body
Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.
Jesus whips and drives away moneychangers and vendors who have turned his Father’s house into a marketplace. When the Jews challenge him as to why he was doing this, Jesus replies, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
Reverence, therefore, should be accorded to churches, shrines and sites designated as places for worship. Not only should they be conducive to prayer, they should also be spaces that foster an environment of worship and not of commerce.
In the end, churches, shrines and sacred spaces are not only building. They are “presences” of the holy and the divine. As buildings, they may age and rot. Yet, they remain venues of God’s epiphanies – like Jesus’ body, they may be destroyed, but they will later rise to new life.
November 16, 2008
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Prv 31:10-13,19-20,30-31 / Psalm 128
Second Reading: 1 Cor 15:20-26,28
Gospel: Mt 25:31-46 Judgment of the nations
For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcome me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.
It is how I relate with my fellow man that I will be judged “when the Son of Man comes in his glory.” “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you give me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.”
Only through my responses to my neighbor’s grief will I get to hear the words, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
November 30, 2008
First Sunday of Advent
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 63:16b-17,19b; 64:2-7 / Psalm 80
Second Reading: 1 Cor 1:3-9
Gospel: Mk 13:33-37 Be watchful
Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.
Jesus exhorts his disciples by saying, “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.” “Watch,” he declares a second time, “you do not know when the lord of the house is coming.” He then concludes with “What I say to you, I say to all, ‘Watch!’”
The Lord Jesus is, indeed, coming. The Promised One of the ages shall soon be born of a virgin. The time for prophets and kings is over; God himself will become flesh and walk in man’s midst to make known the Father’s great love for the world. Like the Magi who scanned the skies, I shall then keep watch for his star so that when he is born, I can pay him my homage.
Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 25:6-9 / Psalm 27
Second Reading: 1 Thes 4:13-18
Gospel: Jn 14:1-6 Many dwelling places
In my father’s house, there are many dwelling places.
Jesus assures his disciples that in his “Father’s house, there are many dwelling places.” He further strengthens them by saying, “and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may also be.”
A candle comes to life only when it is lighted. Yet, when it gets lighted, it slowly approaches it death as it melts drop by drop. A beautiful flower gets plucked and offered to a lady. Yet, the moment it gets plucked, it draws near to its end as its color fades, its fragrance vanishes, its petals wither.
Yet, such is life – death at the end of everything. But, Death is too small a price to say the face of God. Only through Death can I dwell in my Father’s house.
November 9, 2008
Dedication of St. John Lateran
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Ez 47:1-2,8-9,12 / Psalm 46
Second Reading: 1 Cor 3:9c-11,16-17
Gospel: Jn 2:13-22 The temple of his Body
Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.
Jesus whips and drives away moneychangers and vendors who have turned his Father’s house into a marketplace. When the Jews challenge him as to why he was doing this, Jesus replies, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
Reverence, therefore, should be accorded to churches, shrines and sites designated as places for worship. Not only should they be conducive to prayer, they should also be spaces that foster an environment of worship and not of commerce.
In the end, churches, shrines and sacred spaces are not only building. They are “presences” of the holy and the divine. As buildings, they may age and rot. Yet, they remain venues of God’s epiphanies – like Jesus’ body, they may be destroyed, but they will later rise to new life.
November 16, 2008
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Prv 31:10-13,19-20,30-31 / Psalm 128
Second Reading: 1 Cor 15:20-26,28
Gospel: Mt 25:31-46 Judgment of the nations
For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcome me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.
It is how I relate with my fellow man that I will be judged “when the Son of Man comes in his glory.” “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you give me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.”
Only through my responses to my neighbor’s grief will I get to hear the words, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
November 30, 2008
First Sunday of Advent
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 63:16b-17,19b; 64:2-7 / Psalm 80
Second Reading: 1 Cor 1:3-9
Gospel: Mk 13:33-37 Be watchful
Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.
Jesus exhorts his disciples by saying, “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.” “Watch,” he declares a second time, “you do not know when the lord of the house is coming.” He then concludes with “What I say to you, I say to all, ‘Watch!’”
The Lord Jesus is, indeed, coming. The Promised One of the ages shall soon be born of a virgin. The time for prophets and kings is over; God himself will become flesh and walk in man’s midst to make known the Father’s great love for the world. Like the Magi who scanned the skies, I shall then keep watch for his star so that when he is born, I can pay him my homage.
Palawan Reflections: 2008 Sunday Gospels -- October
October 5, 2008
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 5:1-7 / Psalm 80
Second Reading: Phil 4:6-9
Gospel: Mt 21:33-43 Parable of the tenants
The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.
Tenants who kill a landowner’s servants and even his beloved son deserve to be put “to a wretched death,” so suggested the listeners to Jesus’ parable.
I, too, am only a tenant in this world. As a steward of God’s gifts in his vineyard called earth, I, then, need to give to him what is due: among other things, time for the Eucharist on Sundays and a share of the fruits of my labor. In exchange for the gift of rain, for the warmth of the sun, for the steady soil under my feet, I need to return to him “his produce.”
If I do not do so, then, like the ungrateful tenants in the parable, I deserve a “wretched death.”
October 12, 2008
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 25:6-10a / Psalm 23
Second Reading: Phil 4:12-14,19-20
Gospel: Mt 22:1-14 The Wedding Feast
Many are invited, but few are chosen.
A king exhausts all efforts to make his son’s wedding feast memorable even to the point of killing the invited guests and burning their city. Then in order to fill the hall with guests, he orders his servants to “invite to the feast whomever you find” in the main roads. In the end, however, he surprisingly throws out a man “not dressed in a wedding garment.”
The king may have been desperate for guests but, for him, certain traditions needed to be observed. The invitation to the kingdom of heaven, then, while open to all now – and no longer to an exclusive few – demands a certain reverence to age-old practices. Fidelity to these practices may mean being chosen; infidelity may mean being thrown out, as in the case of the man in the story. How do I value Church Tradition and traditions?
October 19, 2008
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 45:1,4-6 / Psalm 96
Second Reading: 1 Thes 1:1-5b
Gospel: Mt 22:15-21 Paying taxes
Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.
Jesus amazes even the Pharisees who intended to entrap him in speech. Holding a Roman coin, he says to them, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
Obligations, therefore, need to be observed, whether these are for the government or for the church. Taxes build more classroom, put more beds in hospitals, construct more farm-to-market roads, thereby, contributing to a country’s progress.
A good Christian, then, does not cheat especially in remitting taxes. Systemic corruption in society should not even be a reason why I should cut corners and cheat even just a little.
October 26, 2008
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Ex 22:20-26 / Psalm 18
Second Reading: 1 Thes 15c-10
Gospel: Mt 22:34-40 The greatest commandment
You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.
The greatest commandment is to love the Lord with one’s own heart, soul and mind. The second is to love one’s neighbor as oneself.
In both commandments, there is a reaching out: a reaching out to the Divine which I do not see and touch but which I know exists; and, a reaching out to a fellow human being, flesh and blood like me.
I am important. Yet, my horizon needs to embrace both the Lord and my neighbor, both the divine and the human.
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 5:1-7 / Psalm 80
Second Reading: Phil 4:6-9
Gospel: Mt 21:33-43 Parable of the tenants
The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.
Tenants who kill a landowner’s servants and even his beloved son deserve to be put “to a wretched death,” so suggested the listeners to Jesus’ parable.
I, too, am only a tenant in this world. As a steward of God’s gifts in his vineyard called earth, I, then, need to give to him what is due: among other things, time for the Eucharist on Sundays and a share of the fruits of my labor. In exchange for the gift of rain, for the warmth of the sun, for the steady soil under my feet, I need to return to him “his produce.”
If I do not do so, then, like the ungrateful tenants in the parable, I deserve a “wretched death.”
October 12, 2008
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 25:6-10a / Psalm 23
Second Reading: Phil 4:12-14,19-20
Gospel: Mt 22:1-14 The Wedding Feast
Many are invited, but few are chosen.
A king exhausts all efforts to make his son’s wedding feast memorable even to the point of killing the invited guests and burning their city. Then in order to fill the hall with guests, he orders his servants to “invite to the feast whomever you find” in the main roads. In the end, however, he surprisingly throws out a man “not dressed in a wedding garment.”
The king may have been desperate for guests but, for him, certain traditions needed to be observed. The invitation to the kingdom of heaven, then, while open to all now – and no longer to an exclusive few – demands a certain reverence to age-old practices. Fidelity to these practices may mean being chosen; infidelity may mean being thrown out, as in the case of the man in the story. How do I value Church Tradition and traditions?
October 19, 2008
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 45:1,4-6 / Psalm 96
Second Reading: 1 Thes 1:1-5b
Gospel: Mt 22:15-21 Paying taxes
Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.
Jesus amazes even the Pharisees who intended to entrap him in speech. Holding a Roman coin, he says to them, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
Obligations, therefore, need to be observed, whether these are for the government or for the church. Taxes build more classroom, put more beds in hospitals, construct more farm-to-market roads, thereby, contributing to a country’s progress.
A good Christian, then, does not cheat especially in remitting taxes. Systemic corruption in society should not even be a reason why I should cut corners and cheat even just a little.
October 26, 2008
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Ex 22:20-26 / Psalm 18
Second Reading: 1 Thes 15c-10
Gospel: Mt 22:34-40 The greatest commandment
You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.
The greatest commandment is to love the Lord with one’s own heart, soul and mind. The second is to love one’s neighbor as oneself.
In both commandments, there is a reaching out: a reaching out to the Divine which I do not see and touch but which I know exists; and, a reaching out to a fellow human being, flesh and blood like me.
I am important. Yet, my horizon needs to embrace both the Lord and my neighbor, both the divine and the human.
Palawan Reflections: 2008 Sunday Gospels -- September
September 7, 2008
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Ez 33:7-9 / Psalm 95
Second Reading: Rom 13:8-10
Gospel: Mt 18:15-20 If your brother sins
If your brother sins (against you), go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
Jesus points out a process in relating to a brother who sins. First, that I make known to him his fault – and to him alone. Then, in case he does not listen, that I ask one or two others to serve as my witnesses that I have gone out of my way to correct my brother. Should he further refuse to listen, then I shall make known his fault to the church. If he does not heed the church, then I should treat him as an outcast, like a Gentile, if I were a Jew.
In other words, I need to exhaust all possible means towards correcting my brother’s fault and towards reconciliation. This implies that I need to have great patience because the process takes time and effort. I should be slow in condemning him.
September 14, 2008
The Exaltation of the Cross
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Nm 21:4b-9 / Psalm 78
Second Reading: Phil 2:6-11
Gospel: Jn 3:13-17 The Son of Man must be lifted up
And just as Moses llifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
Jesus was exalted by the Father because he willingly allowed himself to first be lifted up on the cross.
I do not possess in myself the “principle of rising.” But when I accept Jesus as my personal Lord and Saviour, I will definitely feel lifted up. My sorrow turns into joy. My experience of darkness becomes an occasion of enlightenment.
Through Jesus, I learn that to become pleasing to the Father, I do not have to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge as Adam and Eve mistakenly thought, but to take the Way of the Cross as Jesus did.
September 21, 2008
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 55:6-9 / Psalm 145
Second Reading: Phil 1:20c-24,27a
Gospel: Mt 20:1-16 Workers in the vineyard
Are you envious because I am generous? Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.
The laborers who worked at dawn grumble because, while they “bore the day’s burden and heat,” they received the same pay as those who were hired late in the afternoon. The landowner responds, “Are you envious because I am generous?”
A person’s reward, then, at the end of his labors in life rests ultimately with the Lord. The opportunity to serve is already a gift, whether as priest or catechist or ordinary parish volunteer. The rest is grace – I have no right to complain.
Great bishops have transformed the Philippine Church. But who have been raised to the honors of the altar? San Lorenzo Ruiz and Blessed Pedro Calungsod – both “mere” catechists.
September 28, 2008
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Ez 18:25-28 / Psalm 25
Second Reading: Phil 2:1-11
Gospel: Mt 21:28-32 The two sons
Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.
Two sons respond differently to their father’s command that they work in the vineyard. The first says “No” but later goes. The second says “Yes” but, in the end, does not go.
Responding, then, involves two moments. First, the moment of utterance, that is, of saying either “Yes” or “No” to the given command. And, second, the moment of action, that is, of carrying out or not carrying out one’s earlier response. Given a person’s free will, his word may not match his action.
Many Jews say “Yes” in word but not in deed so that Jesus says, “tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.” Am I Jesus’ disciple in word and in deed?
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Ez 33:7-9 / Psalm 95
Second Reading: Rom 13:8-10
Gospel: Mt 18:15-20 If your brother sins
If your brother sins (against you), go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
Jesus points out a process in relating to a brother who sins. First, that I make known to him his fault – and to him alone. Then, in case he does not listen, that I ask one or two others to serve as my witnesses that I have gone out of my way to correct my brother. Should he further refuse to listen, then I shall make known his fault to the church. If he does not heed the church, then I should treat him as an outcast, like a Gentile, if I were a Jew.
In other words, I need to exhaust all possible means towards correcting my brother’s fault and towards reconciliation. This implies that I need to have great patience because the process takes time and effort. I should be slow in condemning him.
September 14, 2008
The Exaltation of the Cross
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Nm 21:4b-9 / Psalm 78
Second Reading: Phil 2:6-11
Gospel: Jn 3:13-17 The Son of Man must be lifted up
And just as Moses llifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
Jesus was exalted by the Father because he willingly allowed himself to first be lifted up on the cross.
I do not possess in myself the “principle of rising.” But when I accept Jesus as my personal Lord and Saviour, I will definitely feel lifted up. My sorrow turns into joy. My experience of darkness becomes an occasion of enlightenment.
Through Jesus, I learn that to become pleasing to the Father, I do not have to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge as Adam and Eve mistakenly thought, but to take the Way of the Cross as Jesus did.
September 21, 2008
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 55:6-9 / Psalm 145
Second Reading: Phil 1:20c-24,27a
Gospel: Mt 20:1-16 Workers in the vineyard
Are you envious because I am generous? Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.
The laborers who worked at dawn grumble because, while they “bore the day’s burden and heat,” they received the same pay as those who were hired late in the afternoon. The landowner responds, “Are you envious because I am generous?”
A person’s reward, then, at the end of his labors in life rests ultimately with the Lord. The opportunity to serve is already a gift, whether as priest or catechist or ordinary parish volunteer. The rest is grace – I have no right to complain.
Great bishops have transformed the Philippine Church. But who have been raised to the honors of the altar? San Lorenzo Ruiz and Blessed Pedro Calungsod – both “mere” catechists.
September 28, 2008
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Ez 18:25-28 / Psalm 25
Second Reading: Phil 2:1-11
Gospel: Mt 21:28-32 The two sons
Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.
Two sons respond differently to their father’s command that they work in the vineyard. The first says “No” but later goes. The second says “Yes” but, in the end, does not go.
Responding, then, involves two moments. First, the moment of utterance, that is, of saying either “Yes” or “No” to the given command. And, second, the moment of action, that is, of carrying out or not carrying out one’s earlier response. Given a person’s free will, his word may not match his action.
Many Jews say “Yes” in word but not in deed so that Jesus says, “tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.” Am I Jesus’ disciple in word and in deed?
Palawan Reflections: 2008 Sunday Gospels -- August
August 3, 2008
18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 55:1-3 / Psalm 145
Second Reading: Rom 8:35,37-39
Gospel: Mt 14:13-21 Jesus feeds five thousand
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
Jesus’ heart is once again moved to pity at the sight of the crowd so that he cures the sick and, in the evening, feeds “five thousand men, not counting the women and children.” He, therefore, not only heals the body of its many ailments, he also nourishes the body with food.
The message is, definitely, crystal clear. In my moments of sickness, I turn to Jesus, in particular, in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick where my sins are forgiven and my body anointed. In my moments of hunger, I turn to the Lord in the Eucharist, where I am nourished, not only by his life-giving words but also by his Body and Blood.
August 10, 2008
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: 1 Kgs 19:9a,11-13a / Psalm 85
Second Reading: Rom 9:1-5
Gospel: Mt. 14:22-33 Jesus walks on water
O you of little faith, why did you doubt?
Jesus walks on water and invites Peter to come and walk towards him on the water. Fright, however, takes hold of Peter as he sees the strong wind so that he begins to sink. In the end, Jesus chides Peter, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Focus, therefore, is crucial in carrying the invitation of Jesus to walk towards him. I, then, should not lose sight of Jesus as I try to get near him. Distractions, like the strong wind that caused Peter to become afraid and to sink, will always be there. Hence, I shall not allow them to take precedence in my mind. I shall have faith in the Lord.
Should I sink, however, I am certain that Jesus will stretch out his hand – just as he did to Peter – and save me.
August 17, 2008
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 56:1,6-7 / Psalm 67
Second Reading: Rom 11:13-15,29-32
Gospel: Mt 15;21-28 Great is your faith
Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.
Jesus refuses to heed the Canaanite woman’s request that he heal her daughter tormented by a demon. Worse, he insults her by saying, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” Humbly, however, the woman responds, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters” and, in the end, has her daughter healed.
Humility, then, is needed in seeking the Lord’s help. Among other things, humility demands persistence – the woman pestered Jesus’ disciples. It also requires the capacity to bear harsh words – the woman took Jesus’ insult calmly. And it calls for meekness – the woman comparing herself with dogs.
August 24, 2008
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 22:19-23 / Psalm 138
Second Reading: Rom 1:33-36
Gospel: Mt 16:13-20 You are the Messiah
You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.
Jesus entrusts Peter with the keys of the kingdom of heaven after Peter declares, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”
How did Peter “capture” the right words to say to Jesus and, in the process, reveal the true identity of Jesus? According to Jesus himself, Peter was able to do so not through a revelation from “flesh and blood” but through a revelation from “my heavenly Father.”
Like Peter, then, I can only grasp at Jesus’ true identity through prayer – because it is only through prayer that I get to commune with the Father.
August 31, 2008
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Jer 20:7-9 / Psalm 63
Second Reading: Rom 12:1-2
Gospel: Mt 16:21-27 Conditions of discipleship
Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?
To follow Jesus, a person needs to die to Self.
Jesus’ life was a life poured out for the good of others. His life was a life spent to manifest the Father’s unconditional love for the world even if it meant a life brutally cut short by death on the cross. His was a life emptied for man and for the Father.
I need to realize, then, that the moment I follow Jesus, my Self has ceased to exist. My life, from then on, shall be one that is poured out and emptied for others and for the kingdom of God.
18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 55:1-3 / Psalm 145
Second Reading: Rom 8:35,37-39
Gospel: Mt 14:13-21 Jesus feeds five thousand
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
Jesus’ heart is once again moved to pity at the sight of the crowd so that he cures the sick and, in the evening, feeds “five thousand men, not counting the women and children.” He, therefore, not only heals the body of its many ailments, he also nourishes the body with food.
The message is, definitely, crystal clear. In my moments of sickness, I turn to Jesus, in particular, in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick where my sins are forgiven and my body anointed. In my moments of hunger, I turn to the Lord in the Eucharist, where I am nourished, not only by his life-giving words but also by his Body and Blood.
August 10, 2008
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: 1 Kgs 19:9a,11-13a / Psalm 85
Second Reading: Rom 9:1-5
Gospel: Mt. 14:22-33 Jesus walks on water
O you of little faith, why did you doubt?
Jesus walks on water and invites Peter to come and walk towards him on the water. Fright, however, takes hold of Peter as he sees the strong wind so that he begins to sink. In the end, Jesus chides Peter, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Focus, therefore, is crucial in carrying the invitation of Jesus to walk towards him. I, then, should not lose sight of Jesus as I try to get near him. Distractions, like the strong wind that caused Peter to become afraid and to sink, will always be there. Hence, I shall not allow them to take precedence in my mind. I shall have faith in the Lord.
Should I sink, however, I am certain that Jesus will stretch out his hand – just as he did to Peter – and save me.
August 17, 2008
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 56:1,6-7 / Psalm 67
Second Reading: Rom 11:13-15,29-32
Gospel: Mt 15;21-28 Great is your faith
Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.
Jesus refuses to heed the Canaanite woman’s request that he heal her daughter tormented by a demon. Worse, he insults her by saying, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” Humbly, however, the woman responds, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters” and, in the end, has her daughter healed.
Humility, then, is needed in seeking the Lord’s help. Among other things, humility demands persistence – the woman pestered Jesus’ disciples. It also requires the capacity to bear harsh words – the woman took Jesus’ insult calmly. And it calls for meekness – the woman comparing herself with dogs.
August 24, 2008
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 22:19-23 / Psalm 138
Second Reading: Rom 1:33-36
Gospel: Mt 16:13-20 You are the Messiah
You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.
Jesus entrusts Peter with the keys of the kingdom of heaven after Peter declares, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”
How did Peter “capture” the right words to say to Jesus and, in the process, reveal the true identity of Jesus? According to Jesus himself, Peter was able to do so not through a revelation from “flesh and blood” but through a revelation from “my heavenly Father.”
Like Peter, then, I can only grasp at Jesus’ true identity through prayer – because it is only through prayer that I get to commune with the Father.
August 31, 2008
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Jer 20:7-9 / Psalm 63
Second Reading: Rom 12:1-2
Gospel: Mt 16:21-27 Conditions of discipleship
Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?
To follow Jesus, a person needs to die to Self.
Jesus’ life was a life poured out for the good of others. His life was a life spent to manifest the Father’s unconditional love for the world even if it meant a life brutally cut short by death on the cross. His was a life emptied for man and for the Father.
I need to realize, then, that the moment I follow Jesus, my Self has ceased to exist. My life, from then on, shall be one that is poured out and emptied for others and for the kingdom of God.
Palawan Reflections: 2008 Sunday Gospels -- July
July 6, 2008
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Zec 9:9-10 / Psalm 145
Second Reading: Rom 8:9,11-13
Gospel: Mt 11:25-30 Praise of the Father
I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.
Jesus praises the Father for favoring the childlike over the wise and the learned in being able to get to know him.
To get to know Jesus, then, demands that I become “childlike.” Wisdom and learning may obscure – and, thus, make hidden – the very simple truths in spiritual life. Among these truths is that in case I get burdened, I shall turn to Jesus who will give me rest. “My yoke is easy and my burden light,” Jesus assures.
I may age with years, but my disposition towards life should always remain like that of a child – ever enthusiastic and free, not weighed down by disappointments and cynicism. Like a child, I shall take Jesus’ yoke and learn from him.
July 13, 2008
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 55:10-11 / Psalm 65
Second Reading: Rom 8:18-23
Gospel: Mt 13:1-23 Parable of the Sower
Some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.
Jesus says, “whoever has ears ought to hear.” I have ears. Hence, if I were the sower, I shall look for some rich soil in which to plant my seeds so that they will bear fruit “a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” And if I were the seed, I shall hope and pray that I shall not fall along paths, over rocky grounds and among thorns, but on this much-sought for rich soil.
Today, then, I shall implore the Lord that, guided by his Spirit, I shall get to sharpen my senses so that I may have eyes that see and ears that hear. The dulling of my senses, whether physical or spiritual, is one of the worst things that shall happen to me.
July 20, 2008
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Wis 12:13,16-19 / Psalm 86
Second Reading: Rom 8:26-27
Gospel: Mt 13:24-43 Weeds among wheat
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.
In this parable of Jesus, a man allows the weeds and the wheat to grow together, otherwise, the man says, “if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them.”
In life, the same is true. The “children of the kingdom” live alongside with the “children of the evil one. Unlike the weeds and the wheat, however, both “children” may determine for themselves the direction of their lives. The Lord, as it were, gives all whether children of the kingdom or children of the evil one, the opportunity to repent and, in the process, enter the kingdom of heaven.
I shall continually call on the name of the Lord, then. Like the Good Thief, I shall cry out, “Lord, remember me when you get to paradise.”
July 27, 2008
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: 1 Kgs 3:5,7-12 / Ps 119
Second Reading: Rom 8:28-30
Gospel: Mt 13:44-52 Parables of the kingdom
The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.
Like the merchant who finds a pearl of great price and who sells all that he has in order to possess it, a person needs to empty himself – give up everything – for the kingdom of God.
Emptying oneself is difficult. The process presupposes complete trust in the Lord’s goodness and, hence, a life informed by Scriptures and nurtured by constant prayer. Difficult though it may be, only when a person is empty can he be filled.
Why is the Blessed Virgin Mary “full of grace?” Because she was totally empty for God.
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Zec 9:9-10 / Psalm 145
Second Reading: Rom 8:9,11-13
Gospel: Mt 11:25-30 Praise of the Father
I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.
Jesus praises the Father for favoring the childlike over the wise and the learned in being able to get to know him.
To get to know Jesus, then, demands that I become “childlike.” Wisdom and learning may obscure – and, thus, make hidden – the very simple truths in spiritual life. Among these truths is that in case I get burdened, I shall turn to Jesus who will give me rest. “My yoke is easy and my burden light,” Jesus assures.
I may age with years, but my disposition towards life should always remain like that of a child – ever enthusiastic and free, not weighed down by disappointments and cynicism. Like a child, I shall take Jesus’ yoke and learn from him.
July 13, 2008
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Is 55:10-11 / Psalm 65
Second Reading: Rom 8:18-23
Gospel: Mt 13:1-23 Parable of the Sower
Some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.
Jesus says, “whoever has ears ought to hear.” I have ears. Hence, if I were the sower, I shall look for some rich soil in which to plant my seeds so that they will bear fruit “a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” And if I were the seed, I shall hope and pray that I shall not fall along paths, over rocky grounds and among thorns, but on this much-sought for rich soil.
Today, then, I shall implore the Lord that, guided by his Spirit, I shall get to sharpen my senses so that I may have eyes that see and ears that hear. The dulling of my senses, whether physical or spiritual, is one of the worst things that shall happen to me.
July 20, 2008
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Wis 12:13,16-19 / Psalm 86
Second Reading: Rom 8:26-27
Gospel: Mt 13:24-43 Weeds among wheat
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.
In this parable of Jesus, a man allows the weeds and the wheat to grow together, otherwise, the man says, “if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them.”
In life, the same is true. The “children of the kingdom” live alongside with the “children of the evil one. Unlike the weeds and the wheat, however, both “children” may determine for themselves the direction of their lives. The Lord, as it were, gives all whether children of the kingdom or children of the evil one, the opportunity to repent and, in the process, enter the kingdom of heaven.
I shall continually call on the name of the Lord, then. Like the Good Thief, I shall cry out, “Lord, remember me when you get to paradise.”
July 27, 2008
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: 1 Kgs 3:5,7-12 / Ps 119
Second Reading: Rom 8:28-30
Gospel: Mt 13:44-52 Parables of the kingdom
The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.
Like the merchant who finds a pearl of great price and who sells all that he has in order to possess it, a person needs to empty himself – give up everything – for the kingdom of God.
Emptying oneself is difficult. The process presupposes complete trust in the Lord’s goodness and, hence, a life informed by Scriptures and nurtured by constant prayer. Difficult though it may be, only when a person is empty can he be filled.
Why is the Blessed Virgin Mary “full of grace?” Because she was totally empty for God.
Palawan Reflections: 2008 Sunday Gospels -- June
June 1, 2008
9th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Dt. 11:18,26-28,32 / Psalm 31
Second Reading: Rom 3:21-25,28
Gospel: Mt 7:21-27 House built on rock
Everyone who listens to these words of mind and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
Jesus instructs that "everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock."
Building a house on rock, then, involves two phases: the phase of listening and the phase of acting. My action, therefore, should be informed, enriched and guided by what I have heard from Jesus in scriptures. Oftentimes, I listen yet I find myself unwilling to act on what I have heard from him. Hence, I often find my life in ruins, "like a fool who built his house on sand."
I should be much wiser now. Only God is faithful -- all things pass away. He is my Rock.
June 8, 2008
10th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Hos 6:3-6 / Psalm 50
Second Reading: Rom 4:18-25
Gospel: Mt 9:9-13 Not the righteous but sinners
I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.
Jesus dines with tax collectors and sinners. When pressed for an answer as towhy he does this, he says, "I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."
Jesus reaches out, then, to persons whose sinfulness is well known to the community. He does not run away from them nor condemn them. On the contrary, he shares food with them and seem to enjoy their company.
Yet, why do I avoid being seen with sinners? Is it the fear that i be linked with them and have my value before the righteous in my society diminish? Or is it my fear that I be influenced by them?
June 15, 2008
11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Ex 192-6a / Psalm 100
Second Reading: Rom 5:6-11
Gospel Reading: Mt 9:36-10:8 Jesus sends out the Twelve
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.
Jesus' "heart was moved with pity" for the crowd "because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd." And so he summons his twelve disciples and instructs them to "cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons."
Whereas before, Jesus invites these disciples to "come and see," now he exhorts them to "go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" with neither gold nor silver nor sack for the journey.
After having heard the word "Come!" in the past, I shall eventually hear from the Lord the word "Go!"
June 22, 2008
12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Jer 20:10-13 / Psalm 69
Second Reading: Rom 5:12-15
Gospel: Mt 10:26-33 Do not be afraid
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna . . . Do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Jesus challenges his disciples to acknowledge him before others. They are to be afraid of nothing and no one. Strengthened by faith, they are to give witness to him and to the Father, in word and in deed. In word, by proclaiming on the housetops what they have heard whispered. In deed, by being ready for death. "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body," Jesus tells them.
Faith in Jesus, then, is a pricess treasure. With faith in him, the horrors of persecution become occasions for self-offering.
June 29, 2008
Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Acts 12:1-11 / Psalm 34
Second Reading: 2 Tim 4:6-8,17-18
Gospel: Mt 16:13-19 You are Peter
You are Peter and upon this rock, I will build my Church.
Peter declares, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” As a consequence, Jesus entrusts to him “the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” “Amen, I say to you,” Jesus declares, “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.”
One quality stands out in Peter: his capacity for articulation. It is Peter who tells Jesus, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” It is Peter who volunteers to build three tents upon seeing Jesus with Moses and Elijah. It is Peter who requests Jesus that he also walk on water.
I pray, then, in union with the Apostleship of Prayer, that God continue to bless and protect Peter’s successor, Pope Benedict XIV, as he articulates for me and for humanity the world’s deepest longings.
9th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Dt. 11:18,26-28,32 / Psalm 31
Second Reading: Rom 3:21-25,28
Gospel: Mt 7:21-27 House built on rock
Everyone who listens to these words of mind and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
Jesus instructs that "everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock."
Building a house on rock, then, involves two phases: the phase of listening and the phase of acting. My action, therefore, should be informed, enriched and guided by what I have heard from Jesus in scriptures. Oftentimes, I listen yet I find myself unwilling to act on what I have heard from him. Hence, I often find my life in ruins, "like a fool who built his house on sand."
I should be much wiser now. Only God is faithful -- all things pass away. He is my Rock.
June 8, 2008
10th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Hos 6:3-6 / Psalm 50
Second Reading: Rom 4:18-25
Gospel: Mt 9:9-13 Not the righteous but sinners
I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.
Jesus dines with tax collectors and sinners. When pressed for an answer as towhy he does this, he says, "I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."
Jesus reaches out, then, to persons whose sinfulness is well known to the community. He does not run away from them nor condemn them. On the contrary, he shares food with them and seem to enjoy their company.
Yet, why do I avoid being seen with sinners? Is it the fear that i be linked with them and have my value before the righteous in my society diminish? Or is it my fear that I be influenced by them?
June 15, 2008
11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Ex 192-6a / Psalm 100
Second Reading: Rom 5:6-11
Gospel Reading: Mt 9:36-10:8 Jesus sends out the Twelve
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.
Jesus' "heart was moved with pity" for the crowd "because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd." And so he summons his twelve disciples and instructs them to "cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons."
Whereas before, Jesus invites these disciples to "come and see," now he exhorts them to "go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" with neither gold nor silver nor sack for the journey.
After having heard the word "Come!" in the past, I shall eventually hear from the Lord the word "Go!"
June 22, 2008
12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Jer 20:10-13 / Psalm 69
Second Reading: Rom 5:12-15
Gospel: Mt 10:26-33 Do not be afraid
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna . . . Do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Jesus challenges his disciples to acknowledge him before others. They are to be afraid of nothing and no one. Strengthened by faith, they are to give witness to him and to the Father, in word and in deed. In word, by proclaiming on the housetops what they have heard whispered. In deed, by being ready for death. "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body," Jesus tells them.
Faith in Jesus, then, is a pricess treasure. With faith in him, the horrors of persecution become occasions for self-offering.
June 29, 2008
Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Acts 12:1-11 / Psalm 34
Second Reading: 2 Tim 4:6-8,17-18
Gospel: Mt 16:13-19 You are Peter
You are Peter and upon this rock, I will build my Church.
Peter declares, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” As a consequence, Jesus entrusts to him “the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” “Amen, I say to you,” Jesus declares, “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.”
One quality stands out in Peter: his capacity for articulation. It is Peter who tells Jesus, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” It is Peter who volunteers to build three tents upon seeing Jesus with Moses and Elijah. It is Peter who requests Jesus that he also walk on water.
I pray, then, in union with the Apostleship of Prayer, that God continue to bless and protect Peter’s successor, Pope Benedict XIV, as he articulates for me and for humanity the world’s deepest longings.
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